Vaccination against scarlet fever

introduction

Scarlet fever is a highly contagious disease that is triggered by a bacterial infection with so-called group A streptococci and leads to feverish tonsillitis, accompanied by a characteristic rash in scarlet fever. Scarlet fever is one of the infectious diseases that often occur in childhood. Since there is a high risk of infection through the transmission of droplets of saliva, research has been carried out for many years to develop a vaccine that provides adequate protection against infection with the group A streptococci that cause the disease.

According to current medical standards and guidelines, no vaccination has yet been approved for the prevention of scarlet fever. According to previous knowledge, one can only have scarlet fever prevent it through adequate hand hygiene. Avoiding physical contact with infected people is also important.

Why is there no vaccination against scarlet fever?

For many decades, the most renowned researchers around the world have been trying to develop an efficient vaccine against the bacteria that cause scarlet fever. Unfortunately, all attempts have been unsuccessful so far, so that no vaccine can be made available to the pharmaceutical market.

You might also be interested in: Complications of scarlet fever

Group A streptococci colonize the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat and release certain toxins, so-called toxins, which then lead to the outbreak of the infection. The released toxins are actually a good point of attack for possible vaccines. The problem in vaccine development, however, lies in the fact that there are many different strains of streptococci, each of which produces different toxins. After an infection, the patient is immune to renewed contact with the same toxin and the disease does not break out. However, if it is an infection with a new strain that produces a toxin that is still unknown to the body, this can cause a new infection. Since not all of the different toxins that can cause scarlet fever are known, it is nearly impossible to make a holistic vaccine.One could only produce different vaccines against individual strains, but that would be too costly and would not have the desired effect of nationwide immunization.

How can you prevent scarlet fever disease without vaccination?

Since, according to current medical guidelines, there is no vaccine against scarlet fever on the drug market, it is particularly important to take other measures to prevent infection with group A streptococci, which cause scarlet fever. Since the pathogens are transmitted via droplets of saliva or infected objects, care should be taken to avoid contact with infectious people. The sick are contagious before the first symptoms appear. After starting antibiotic therapy, physical contact with infected people should be avoided for 24 hours. Thereafter, there is usually no longer any risk of infection. Read more on the subject at: How contagious is scarlet fever?

When giving antibiotic therapy, you should strictly adhere to the length of time prescribed by the doctor to take the medication in order to prevent possible development of resistance and complications of the disease. In order to avoid smear infections, sufficient hand hygiene should be observed. If patients with a weakened immune system have contact with infectious patients, preventive antibiotic therapy can in some cases be considered.

Also read: Scarlet fever test

Will there be a vaccination against scarlet fever soon?

Over the past few decades, major research projects have been launched to advance the development of an efficient vaccine against scarlet fever. Nevertheless, in all textbooks to this day, a protective effect through vaccination is viewed as very unsafe. Immunity has not built up after going through scarlet fever. An infection with another strain of streptococci, which produces a toxin still unknown to the body, is still possible. Since it is not possible to develop a vaccine that contains all the toxins that trigger the disease, a new outbreak of scarlet fever is possible at any time.

If a potential vaccination is permitted on the pharmaceutical market according to the Vaccination Protection Act, the number of infections would likely decline somewhat. Still, many children would continue to develop scarlet fever and there is a risk that the population's belief in the protective function and prevention of vaccination would decline and the arguments of those who oppose the vaccination are reinforced. Overall, however, one will continue to try to develop a vaccine against the diversity of the individual streptococcal strains in the next few years.