Cambridge-Africa

Group B strep and ‘the bigger picture’

JUNO

Written by Christine Boinett and Dorota Jamrozy

Few people have heard of Streptococcus agalactiae and even fewer associate it with meningitis. Yet Group B Strep (GBS), as it is more commonly known, is a major cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis worldwide. When starting this project, we connected with some phenomenal researchers (too many to mention here but you can find them on our website) and medical professionals working on GBS. However, it is very clear that this pathogen is understudied. Despite it being known as a major pathogen with sometimes fatal consequences, so far, little research had been done to better understand the genetic diversity of currently circulating GBS populations.

Recognising this as a neglected disease, Professor Stephen Bentley* at the Wellcome Sanger Institute (WSI), supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, set out to understand the global dynamics of this pathogen. Thus, the project JUNO was born, named after the ancient Roman goddess whose main duty was to ensure the safety of women and infants in childbirth. JUNO’s aim is to sequence 10,000 GBS samples from all over the world to determine the genetic diversity of this pathogen in order to inform future vaccine design and intervention strategies.

To do this effectively, a team of outstanding scientists have gathered to form the wider JUNO network with global partners alongside our current team of five based at the WSI (pictured). We are not merely trawling for samples and data from around the world; we strive to work as a real partnership in trying to defeat this truly preventable disease. In order to do this effectively, JUNO offers bioinformatics training to our partners so that they can analyse and publish their own data, thus providing local context to a global problem.

Although no one ever wants to focus on what they haven’t manged to do, let alone publicise it to the world, it was imperative that we get the message out and appeal to the pan-African scientists and medical professionals who have GBS isolates to get in touch and get involved with JUNO (we promise we are a fun and easy-going bunch). We need to understand what the circulating GBS strains are in different geographic locations so we can have better designed vaccines that protect ALL. If you think you can help please don’t hesitate to contact us on twitter or by email.

To all the wonderful partners we have already on the project, we would like to thank you for your support and participation in JUNO so far. July is the month to spread awareness of GBS. On twitter, many are taking part in #StrepB2020 making it known to the world and we are privileged to be part of this group. We appeal here to new partners in sub-Saharan Africa to join us. Let’s beat this bug!

 

* Professor Stephen Bentley is a member of the Cambridge-Africa Strategic Advisory Group