vaccination
Vaccination in plant science refers to the application of biological agents—such as attenuated pathogens, elicitors, or microbial proteins—to prime a plant's immune system against future disease. Unlike animals, plants lack adaptive immunity, so plant 'vaccination' works by activating systemic acquired resistance (SAR) or induced systemic resistance (ISR), broad-spectrum defense mechanisms triggered by prior exposure to a pathogen or beneficial microbe. This approach offers a promising, sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides for protecting crops against bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-05-01
A global analysis found that meningitis killed 259,000 people in 2023 and caused 2.54 million new cases, with children under 5 bearing a disproportionate burden. Despite decades of progress through vaccination, the disease remains far off-track to meet WHO 2030 reduction targets.
In 2023, meningitis caused 259,000 deaths and 2.54 million new cases globally, with children under 5 accounting for over a third of deaths (86,600).
The four vaccine-preventable pathogens (S. pneumoniae, N. meningitidis, H. influenzae, Group B streptococcus) caused roughly 98,700 deaths — about 38% of the total.
Drug-resistant fungi such as Candida spp. are emerging as significant meningitis pathogens, even as bacterial meningitis has declined due to vaccination campaigns since 1990.