Quebec scientists explore issues around using the meningitis vaccine to reduce gonorrhea risk

— Bacteria that cause some forms of meningitis are related to those that cause gonorrhea
— Scientists in Quebec reviewed data on the possibility of using a meningitis vaccine to prevent gonorrhea
— An immunization program for gonorrhea may one day be possible if clinical trial results are promising

There is increasing interest in 4CMenB, because although this vaccine was designed and approved to prevent meningitis-causing bacteria, some studies suggest that it can also moderately reduce the risk of infection by gonorrhea-causing bacteria. This vaccine has proteins that are similar to those found in both Neisseria meningitis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (the bacteria that cause gonorrhea).

Laboratory experiments with cells suggest that the 4CMenB vaccine causes the immune system to produce antibodies that also attack gonorrhea-causing bacteria. Studies of blood samples from people vaccinated with 4CMenB have found that antibodies are important in reducing the risk of gonorrhea. This vaccine also appears to stimulate some cells of the immune system, such as T-cells, to strengthen the immune response.

A team of researchers from universities in Montreal and Laval as well as the Institut national de santé publique du Québec reviewed published evidence and ongoing clinical trials of the 4CMenB vaccine to reduce gonorrhea risk.

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