Got a knee or hip implant? Harvard’s new vaccine could protect you from dangerous infections |

A groundbreaking vaccine developed by Harvard researchers offers hope against infections from implanted medical devices. This innovative biomaterial scaffold vaccine significantly boosts immune response, reducing bacterial infection by 100-fold in mouse models. It even protects against antibiotic-resistant strains, potentially saving lives and improving patient outcomes globally.

People who have implanted medical devices such as orthopaedic joint replacements, pacemakers, and artificial heart valves run a risk of infection. Though the risk occurs in only a small percentage of patients, the impact can be significant. In the event of infection, patients may require revision surgeries, prolonged antibiotic treatments, or, in severe cases, amputation. In some cases, it can become fatal. Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering have now developed a novel vaccine that can prevent infection. The findings of the study are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“In the U.S. alone, about 790,000 total knee replacements and more than 450,000 hip replacements are currently performed by orthopaedic surgeons, and up to 2 to 4% of those implanted devices will become infected. These numbers alone highlight the urgency of finding effective countermeasures and bringing them to patients fast,” Alexander Tatara, M.D., Ph.D., an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and first author of the study, said in a statement. The novel vaccine brings hope for the future prevention of such device-related infections.Scientists have long been trying to develop vaccines to protect patients from the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, the leading cause of orthopaedic device infection. However, they have so far been unable to find an effective vaccine.Now, clinical researchers and bioengineers from SEAS and the Wyss Institute have developed a vaccine strategy that could potentially prevent these infections. These biodegradable, injectable biomaterial scaffold vaccines are equipped with immune cell-attracting and stimulating molecules, as well as S. aureus-specific antigens.The researchers applied the vaccine to a mouse model of orthopaedic device infection and found that it resulted in a stronger immune response, reducing the burden of bacterial infection by 100-fold compared with shorter-lived conventional control vaccines. The vaccine made with antigens from antibiotic-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) bacteria also protected devices against infection from antibiotic-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains.“In this study, we are seeing the type of immune responses involving specific T cell populations that might have been missing in patients vaccinated with conventional vaccines in clinical trials, in addition to S. aureus-specific antibody responses that are also produced by soluble vaccine formulations. In combination with optimised antigen collections derived from S. aureus species, our approach could lead to novel biomaterials-based vaccines with the potential to save lives and improve health outcomes for patients globally,” said David Mooney, Ph.D., Wyss Institute Founding Core Faculty member. He has previously pioneered biomaterials-based vaccines as novel immunotherapies in the fight against cancer and, more recently, to help prevent sepsis and septic shock.The researchers explained that the vaccine works by drawing dendritic cells, which are key immune coordinators, to the injection site. These cells pick up the bacterial antigens and carry them to nearby lymph nodes, where they activate T cells and other immune defences. The Harvard team also used the Wyss Institute’s FcMBL technology, which can capture hundreds of bacterial components known as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). This gives the vaccine a snapshot of the bacteria and helps the immune system create a stronger, longer-lasting response than conventional vaccines.“One could envision a future in which clinical researchers rapidly identify relevant PAMPs in patient-specific S. aureus strains obtained through simple non-invasive procedures ahead of surgeries to produce effective personalised biomaterial vaccines that protect implanted orthopaedic devices from infections,” Tatara added.Note: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new medication or treatment, or before changing your diet or supplement regimen.