Vaccine to prevent Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Vaccine Development
A program to develop a vaccine aimed at protecting people from Rocky Mountain spotted fever by creating and testing vaccine candidates in dogs and laboratory models.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Missouri-Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10898889 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing different vaccine candidates against Rocky Mountain spotted fever and testing how well they trigger immunity and protect against disease. They will produce subunit vaccines (specific Rickettsia proteins) and killed whole-cell vaccines and study them in dogs and laboratory models that get a similar illness to people. Because dogs can carry infected ticks and get a disease like humans, vaccinating dogs may also help reduce human infections. The team will measure immune responses and safety in animals as a step toward possible future human testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who live in or travel to areas where Rocky Mountain spotted fever is common, especially those with frequent tick exposure or close contact with dogs, would be most likely to benefit.
Not a fit: People with no risk of tick exposure or those who cannot receive vaccines due to allergies or certain immune conditions may not directly benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could prevent Rocky Mountain spotted fever in people, reduce severe illness and deaths, and lower spread from dogs and ticks.
How similar studies have performed: Previous experimental RMSF vaccines and animal studies have shown immune responses but there is currently no widely used human vaccine, so this approach builds on promising but still-limited evidence.
Where this research is happening
Columbia, United States
- University of Missouri-Columbia — Columbia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ganta, Roman R. — University of Missouri-Columbia
- Study coordinator: Ganta, Roman R.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.