How Far Are we Away From an Improved Vaccine For Tuberculosis? Current Efforts and Future Prospects

Arch Bronconeumol (Engl Ed). 2019 Jul;55(7):373-377. doi: 10.1016/j.arbres.2018.11.002. Epub 2018 Dec 26.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract

Tuberculosis still is a major public health problem worldwide, and vaccines may play a major role in its eradication. However, despite 20 years of intensive research, we still do not have a better vaccine than the Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine, which has been used since 1921 but exhibits only limited efficacy in the field. This effort has not, however, been entirely in vain as our understanding of TB vaccinology has been substantially expanded and there are currently 17 vaccine candidates in clinical development and several more in preclinical trials. This manuscript reviews the most important recent advances, concerns raised and future prospects in the TB vaccinology field.

Keywords: Bacille Calmette-Guérin; Bacilo Calmette-Guérin; Clinical trials; Ensayos clínicos; Tuberculosis; Vaccine; Vacuna.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / biosynthesis
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
  • BCG Vaccine / administration & dosage
  • BCG Vaccine / immunology
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Forecasting
  • Genetic Vectors
  • Humans
  • Immunization, Secondary
  • Immunogenicity, Vaccine
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology
  • Tuberculosis / prevention & control
  • Tuberculosis Vaccines* / classification
  • Tuberculosis Vaccines* / immunology
  • Vaccines, Subunit
  • Vaccines, Synthetic
  • Vaccinia virus / genetics

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • BCG Vaccine
  • Tuberculosis Vaccines
  • Vaccines, Subunit
  • Vaccines, Synthetic