title: Vaccines against Clostridium difficile.
abstract: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is recognized as a major cause of nosocomial diseases ranging from antibiotic related diarrhea to fulminant colitis. Emergence during the last 2 decades of C. difficile strains associated with high incidence, severity and lethal outcomes has increased the challenges for CDI treatment. A limited number of drugs have proven to be effective against CDI and concerns about antibiotic resistance as well as recurring disease solicited the search for novel therapeutic strategies. Active vaccination provides the attractive opportunity to prevent CDI, and intense research in recent years led to development of experimental vaccines, 3 of which are currently under clinical evaluation. This review summarizes recent achievements and remaining challenges in the field of C. difficile vaccines, and discusses future perspectives in view of newly-identified candidate antigens.
authors.affiliation: Novartis Vaccines S.r.L.; Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leuzzi
authors.affiliation: Novartis Vaccines S.r.L.; Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Adamo
authors.affiliation: Novartis Vaccines S.r.L.; Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scarselli
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000276:immunology*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines
keywords: CDI; Clostridium difficile; vaccine