The researchers’ findings, published this week in Nature Genetics, are the result of 10 years of sequencing the DNA of Strep A samples from 22 countries. While past research into a vaccine has been based largely on data from wealthy nations such as the U.K. and U.S., the new research spans the globe and includes low-income groups and nations in which Strep A is endemic.
With large-scale genomic sequencing, the scientists were able to identify genes present in Strep A strains from all 22 countries. Their findings can thus be used to aid in the development of a global vaccine, with further research focused specifically on those molecular targets.
Beyond potentially expediting the discovery of a vaccine, the genomic data will also “help researchers understand how Strep A causes disease and why it is different in high-income areas to endemic regions,” according to Gordon Dougan, PhD, an author of the study and a professor at the University of Cambridge.
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