There are good treatment options in Denmark for people diagnosed with pneumonia. Especially if you are less than 70 years old, where the chances of a quick recovery are high. This is not the case in other parts of the world. Even though vaccines already exist against the disease, there are many regions where a child dies of pneumonia every minute. UNICEF estimates that around 700,000 children die of the disease each year, making it the infectious disease responsible for most deaths in children under five globally.
Researchers at DTU have successfully tested a new vaccine against bacterial pneumonia, which is caused by streptococcus pneumoniae. If the positive trend continues for the vaccine continues, it could have a major impact in the countries with the highest child mortality.
"Our dream is to develop a vaccine that can help where it is most needed. So those who ultimately have to pay for it, in regions with quite limited resources, are able to purchase these vaccines," says Mads Hartvig Clausen, professor at DTU Chemistry, who has been involved in developing the vaccine.
