Longevity & AgingHuman Antibody Kills Drug-Resistant Shigella and Prevents Infection in Mice
Researchers isolated human monoclonal antibodies from volunteers vaccinated against Shigella sonnei and then experimentally infected. One standout antibody, targeting the bacterium's O-Antigen, demonstrated potent bactericidal killing in lab tests, blocked invasion of intestinal epithelial cells, and provided complete protection in a mouse infection model. Shigella causes over 140,000 child deaths annually and is increasingly resistant to antibiotics — yet no approved vaccine exists. This antibody candidate could serve as a prophylactic, therapeutic, or diagnostic tool, and its discovery platform could readily be extended to other dangerous pathogens.
