The first indigenous Vaccine against Dengue

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Biotechnology

Concept :

Drug makers Serum Institute of India and Panacea Biotec are moving closer to develop the country’s first vaccine against dengue.
They have applied to the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) call for ‘Expression of Interest’ for collaborative Phase-III clinical trials for indigenous manufacturers.
Phase-III clinical trial is being done for evaluation of efficacy, along with safety and immunogenicity of tetravalent dengue vaccine.
The desirable characteristics of a dengue vaccine includes:
Acceptable short and long-term safety profile (no antibody dependent enhancement).
Inducing protection against all four serotypes of dengue.
Reducing risk of severe diseases and deaths.
Inducing a sustained immune response and effectiveness irrespective of the earlier sero-status and age of the individual.

Risk posed by Dengue:

The global incidence of dengue has grown dramatically with about half of the world’s population now at risk.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified dengue to be one among the top ten global health threats in 2019.
As of now, there is no specific treatment for dengue/severe dengue. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop effective vaccines against dengue viral disease.

About Dengue

Dengue is a vector-borne disease transmitted by the bite of an infected female Aedes Aegypti mosquito.
This mosquito also transmits chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika infection.
Aedes aegypti is a daytime feeder. The peak biting periods are early in the morning and in the evening before dusk.
There are 4 serotypes of the virus that causes dengue. These are known as DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, DEN-4.
The symptoms of the disease will begin anywhere between three to fourteen days after the initial infection.
The symptoms include:
- High fever
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Muscle and joint pains
- Skin Rash
Diagnosis of dengue infection is done with a blood test.
There is no vaccine or specific medication for dengue fever. Patients should seek medical advice, rest and drink plenty of fluids.
Dengue cannot be spread directly from person to person. However, a person infected and suffering from dengue fever can infect other mosquitoes.
Most cases occur in tropical areas of the world, including the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Southern China, Taiwan, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, Mexico, Africa, Central and South America.
WHO estimates 39 crore dengue virus infections per year, of which 9.6 crore show symptoms.