Study involving US researchers offers hope for vaccine against traveler's diarrhea bacteria

French vaccine manufacturer Valneva has licensed a new vaccine technology developed against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) bacteria. An expert from Washington University stated that the approach is promising against this disease, which particularly affects children in developing countries and travelers.

Scraper SystemJuly 07, 2026, 10:51 AM

Study involving US researchers offers hope for vaccine against traveler's diarrhea bacteria

A significant step has been taken in the decades-long search for a vaccine against severe diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) bacteria. A new vaccine technology developed at the University of Bergen and the NORCE research center in Norway has been licensed to French vaccine manufacturer Valneva.

The study focuses on a toxin produced by ETEC, which is one of the main obstacles to vaccine development. Prof. Dr. James Fleckenstein from Washington University School of Medicine, who was not directly involved in the research, stated that the findings are promising.

Fleckenstein said, "We still have a lot of work to do to turn these findings into a real vaccine. However, the approach is promising in that the proteins generate strong antibody responses and appear to provide protection against diarrheal disease after the first infection in children in developing countries."

ETEC causes millions of diarrhea cases worldwide each year and disproportionately affects children in low- and middle-income countries. Currently, there is no widely effective vaccine to prevent this infection.

Experts hope that if the vaccine is ultimately approved and reaches patients, it could protect children against the most severe types of diarrhea caused by ETEC. However, it is emphasized that the technology has not yet been tested as an approved vaccine and that additional laboratory work, clinical trials, and regulatory reviews will be required.

Prof. Dr. Fleckenstein recommended that international travelers avoid high-risk foods, drink bottled water in areas where sanitation may be inadequate, and pay attention to hand hygiene to reduce the risk of diarrhea. He also reminded that a typhoid vaccine is available and that travelers should consult a doctor before traveling.

Study involving US researchers offers hope for vaccine against traveler's diarrhea bacteria