United States: Using a special oral spray vaccine can stop recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs) for up to nine years, according to a recently published study. Health experts have termed it a huge breakthrough that could help a lot of people abstain from UTIs.
The study has provided solution to one of the major issues which has been faced by half of the women and one in five men, and it can be specifically critical for old age people. Some of the common signs and symptoms include a burning sensation when you urinate or needing to go to the toilet more often than usual.
As per the experts, the study was essential as this infection is not discussed openly globally.
The study further revealed that approximately twenty to thirty percent (20-30%) of cases progress to recurrent infections, which call for brief antibiotic therapy. However, with the rise in antibiotic-resistant illnesses, these medications are starting to lose their effectiveness, according to reports given in the Independent.
How does oral vaccine work?
Around 89 individuals were advised to spray pineapple-flavored vaccine beneath their tongues once a day for three months as part of a lengthy experiment undertaken by medical professionals at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in the UK.
According to the reports, the patients were then monitored for nine consecutive (9) years after that. After receiving the vaccination, 54 percent of men and women with recurrent UTIs were able to avoid becoming sick for nine (9) years, and there were no serious adverse effects noted.
The group as a whole experienced an infection-free period of 54.7 months (four and a half years) on average; this was 56.7 months for women and 44.3 months – approximately one (1) year less, for males. After a year or two, 40 percent of study participants reported receiving further doses of the vaccine.
“Before having the vaccine, all our participants suffered from recurrent UTIs, and for many women, these can be difficult to treat.” said Dr Bob Yang consultant urologist at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust who co-led the research, as per the Independent.
Doses of the vaccine were so reliable and effective that nine years after receiving the vaccine, around half of the participants remained infection-free. Ultimately, it leads to maintaining stability in health among UTI patients.
The long-term safety of this vaccination appeared to be good, and those who received it reported fewer and milder UTIs. Many of those who did acquire a UTI informed that treatment only required drinking lots of water, according to the reports published by the Independent.
In addition to this, it was outlined that numerous individuals in the study said that receiving the vaccination improved their quality of life.
Vaccine and manufacturer’s details!
The Spanish pharmaceutical company Immunotek created the vaccine. Four (4) different bacterial species are present in a water suspension in the MV140. It is accessible in 26 countries without a license. The research was presented at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress this past weekend in Paris.
Before the vaccine is approved for use, the updated findings must be submitted to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the Independent reported.
“Recurrent UTIs are a substantial economic burden, and the overuse of antibiotic treatments can lead to antibiotic-resistant infections,” said Gernot Bonkat, chairman of the EAU Guidelines on Urological Infections.