Baker's yeast may hold cure to fungal disease

SIMPLE baker's yeast may hold the key to a vaccine for life-threatening fungal infections, a study suggests.

Scientists found that injecting mice with the microbial leavening agent protected them against the deadly fungal disease aspergillosis.

The work could lead to the development of a human anti-fungus vaccine, experts believe.

Researchers in the United States gave mice three injections of dead saccharomyces, or baker's yeast, one week apart.

Vaccinated mice whose immune systems had been primed by the injections were able to survive high doses of aspergillus, the organism responsible for aspergillosis.

Mice that were not killed by the normally fatal disease also showed reduced levels of infection in their organs.

The findings are published in the Journal of Medical Micro- biology.

Aspergillosis can be a killer in humans with weak immune systems. The fungal spores are inhaled and may lead to a serious infection that attacks the lungs.

It can also spread to the brain and other organs, leading to kidney and liver failure.