One problem with the rotavirus vaccine—a preparation typically given by mouth to babies—is that it doesn’t work as well in low-income countries, where the majority of rotavirus deaths happen. There were hints from earlier studies that the composition of recipients’ microbiomes might be having an effect on vaccine effectiveness, which perhaps could explain why the rotavirus immunization isn’t consistent. In a study published today (August 8) in Cell Host & Microbe, researchers have confirmed that the microbiome does indeed play a role in vaccine responses. In the double-blind, placebo-controlled study, men who received antibiotics before getting a rotavirus vaccine dose had a more robust immune response than those who didn’t.
“It’s an elegant study and raises a number of really interesting questions that people can now start to explore further,” says Julie Bines, a pediatric gastroenterologist at the University of Melbourne in Australia who did not participate in the study. ...
