Scientists are developing a new, synthetic polio vaccine that they hope could help eradicate the disease worldwide, and be quicker, safer, and easier to produce than vaccines used today.

 

Current polio vaccines use either killed or weakened viruses, but now scientists from the United States and UK are working together to create a synthetic virus that does not contain any trace of polio germ.

 

Even after the global elimination of polio as a disease, it will be necessary to continue vaccination for years to protect against reintroduction of the virus from hidden sources such as chronically infected carriers.

 

A synthetic vaccine would fulfill this role without the inherent danger of accidental release of virus associated with the production of live vaccines.

 

This effort follows on the heels of a similar effort that successfully created a synthetic virus for use in a vaccine that protects against foot-and-mouth disease, Dave Stuart, professor at Oxford University, said.

 

"Following on from the success we've had with the foot-and-mouth disease vaccine, we aim to transfer the approach to vaccines for other viruses including polio. Early results with polio are very promising, with synthetic particles being produced and evidence of successful stabilization,” Stuart told the American Association for the Advancement of Science, at its meeting in San Jose, Calif.