Potential vaccine for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus

  Recently, a potential MERS-CoV vaccine was published online. The vaccine successfully demonstrated immunity to the Jordan N3 strain of the coronavirus in mice and macaques.

  Since the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus was discovered in 2012, the number of cases has been between 1118 and 1142, and there have been 423 to 465 deaths. At present, not much is known about how the virus spreads. There is a virus host that scientists have doubted but have not confirmed. So far, there is no cure for the severe respiratory symptoms caused by the virus in the population.

  Wing-Pui Kong, Barney Graham and the research team of the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, USA have now reported a new antibody that can infect animals with DNA encoding the coronavirus protein. This weakened viral protein can be found in rats and macaques. Stimulate a series of antibodies that can fight the virus. The stimulated immune protected animals will avoid the pneumonia caused by the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. This immune strategy is the first antibody against the MERS-CoV virus with multiple structures. Its structure is spread all over the inside and outside of the virus, reducing the possibility of the virus from being detected by the immune system through mutation in the future.

  This study is also the first time this type of vaccine has been tested on an animal model of MERS-CoV, and it is also the first MERS-CoV vaccine, which demonstrates its protective effect on non-human primates. But it should be noted that the MERS-CoV infection process in primates is much milder than in humans. However, whether this vaccine can protect humans from more severe disease symptoms is still unclear, and more studies are needed to confirm the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine in humans.