New insights from an old vaccine

Since the 1800s, tuberculosis (TB) has been responsible for an estimated 1 billion deaths. In New Zealand today, we don’t get many cases of TB, but worldwide it is the leading infectious disease killer. In the early 1900s a TB vaccine was developed. Called the BCG vaccine, it’s still used today. While it is the best TB vaccine we have, it’s not actually great at preventing TB infection, only providing some protection for the youngest of patients. However, scientists have discovered that the BCG vaccine can boost people’s immune systems in other ways. Now researchers at the Malaghan Institute in Wellington are investigating these findings further.

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Guests:

• Dr Kerry Hilligan, Malaghan Institute
• Rebecca Palmer, Malaghan Institute

Learn more:

• In 2017, Alison Ballance reported on the looming antimicrobial resistance crisis, with drug-resistant TB part of the problem.
• Other Our Changing World episodes about research at the Malaghan Institute include this 2024 episode on a new way to target rising stomach cancer rates, and this 2022 episode on next-generation cancer therapies.
• In 2021, Claire Concannon covered mRNA vaccine technology.
• The What if...? Genomics in Aotearoa series explores the different ways genomics is transforming different sectors, including infectious disease medicine.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details