Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

Microorganisms are vital in vaccine development, enabling immunity without causing disease.

Live attenuated vaccines, like measles, mumps, and rubella, make up the MMR vaccine, which mimics infections to stimulate cellular and humoral immunity.

In contrast, vaccines like the injectable polio vaccine primarily trigger humoral responses.

Advancements like recombinant DNA technology, such as yeast-engineered hepatitis B antigens, enhance safety by producing pure, non-infectious antigens.

Beyond vaccines, beneficial microbes like Lactobacillus enhance gut health by balancing microbiota and modulating immunity.

Microorganisms also produce antibiotics, like penicillin, revolutionizing bacterial infection treatment.

Gene therapy employs modified viruses, like adenoviruses, for gene delivery.

Lentiviruses integrate therapeutic genes into the host genome, enabling sustained gene expression.

These vectors promise to treat cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, and inherited blindness.

Additionally, mRNA vaccines, like the COVID-19 vaccine, instruct cells to generate viral antigens, triggering immunity in the absence of infection.