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First vaccine against dangerous Zika virus to be tested this year
Against the dangerous Zika virus, which has been spreading for months in countries of South and Central America, there is so far no drug protection. As the Brazilian Ministry of Health now reports, but a vaccine against the pathogen will be tested this year. But he will not be available until the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Virus is spreading in Latin America
For months, the dangerous Zika virus has spread in countries in South and Central America and the Caribbean. In case of illness, the infection triggers symptoms such as fever, headache, joint pain and rash. According to scientists, however, the pathogen can also cause neonatal skull malformations if the mothers become infected with Zika during pregnancy. In the so-called microcephaly children are born with unusually small head, which usually leads to brain malformations and mental retardation. A vaccine against the virus is not yet available. But that could change soon.
A vaccine against the Zika virus will be tested later this year. This has been announced by the Brazilian Minister of Health. So far there is no medical protection against the dangerous pathogen. (Image: jarun011 / fotolia.com) Vaccine should be tested on animals this year
Over the past few months, many research institutes have been working to improve their strategies against the virus. It was recently reported that US physicians developed a simple but accurate Zika test. And now it is said that Brazil and the US are moving faster than expected in developing a vaccine against the Zika virus. According to a news agency dpa, the first tests on monkeys and mice are due to start in November. The Brazilian Minister of Health Ricardo Barros therefore said that it was initially expected from the first tests of twelve months, but it now succeed in nine months. "That's a record time."
Zika is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes
According to reports, it had been agreed in February that the University of Texas and the Evandro Chagas Institute in the northern Brazilian state of Pará jointly develop a vaccine against the virus. The pathogen is primarily transmitted by the bite of certain infected mosquitoes. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) writes on its website: "Zikaviren be in most cases by the bite of infected mosquitoes, e.g. transmitted in the tropics and parts of the subtropics widespread yellow fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti). "Meanwhile, it is known that the virus can also be transmitted through sex.
Special precautions for Olympic Games
According to current planning, the vaccine should be administered as a single dose and be available by 2018 at the latest. According to dpa, the Brazilian Ministry of Health supports the development with 10 million reais (about 2.5 million euros). Brazil had even used military against the dangerous Zika mosquitoes. There have been 1,384 confirmed cases of pediatric malformations (microcephaly) in the country since October, with Zika infection detected in 207 cases. In the South American winter, the activity of the mosquito species Aedes aegypti is much lower than in the summer, but for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro (5- 21 August), special precautions are taken. Thus, among other things, in the Olympic Village with 450,000 pieces a record number of free condoms provided. (Ad)