Invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella disease
Non-typhoidal Salmonellae are a group of bacteria that cause gastroenteritis and are found throughout the world. However, these bacteria can sometimes spread beyond the gut into the blood stream, causing invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella (iNTS) disease, a condition which disproportionately affects individuals with weak immune systems (e.g. due to malnutrition or HIV co-infection).
Globally, the highest burden of iNTS disease is in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated incidence of 450,000 cases per year, over half of which are in children under the age of 5 years. However, this is likely to be an underestimate of the true burden of disease, given the limited availability of diagnostics in these settings. Strains of iNTS bacteria causing disease in Africa are more virulent and more resistant to antibiotics than strains causing disease in the developed world. Development of an effective vaccine against iNTS disease is therefore an essential control measure against this emerging pathogen.
The Oxford Vaccine Group is part of the Vacc-iNTS Research Consortium funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme. The Vacc-iNTS consortium is made up of 12 partners from 8 different countries - including 3 iNTS disease-endemic countries. The consortium aims to advance the development of an urgently needed vaccine which confers immune protection against the most common strains of the bacteria causing iNTS disease in Africa.
.For further information about the Vacc-iNTS consortium, see http://vacints.wit-ict.com
Ongoing Research
Salmonella Vaccines in Oxford Study (SALVO)
We collaborate with:
GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH)
Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)
University of Siena (UNISI)
Our Team
Maheshi Ramasamy, Senior Clinical Researcher
Brama Hanumunthudu, Clinical Research Fellow
Jamie Burbage, Senior Research Nurse
Nelly Owino, Project Manager