New vaccine against chikungunya virus based on measles vaccine

On the way to vaccination against the dangerous Chikungunya virus

The Chikungunya virus is mainly distributed in Africa, in the Indian subcontinent and in Southeast Asia. The dangerous pathogen has caused millions of diseases worldwide in recent years. Many tourists from Europe have become infected with it. So far no vaccine against the virus is available. But thanks to new research, that might change soon.

Several million diseases

"The Chikungunya fever is a tropical infectious disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes," explains the Association of German internists (BDI) on its website "internists in the network". "The virus is found mainly in Africa, in the Indian subcontinent and in Southeast Asia," write the experts, who point out that the pathogen has already led to several million diseases. Many tourists from Europe also suffered from Chikungunya fever: they had brought the disease from their journey. "There is currently no specific therapy and vaccine," said the doctors. But that could possibly change soon.

According to researchers, a genetically engineered live vaccine based on a common measles vaccine has great potential to work against the chikungunya virus. (Image: REDPIXEL / fotolia.com)

Live vaccine based on a common measles vaccine

As reported by the Medical University (MedUni) Vienna in a communication, a genetically engineered live vaccine based on a common measles vaccine has great potential to act against the chikungunya virus.

This is the key finding of a now completed phase II study published in the journal The Lancet.

Also involved in the study were two departments of the MedUni Vienna, the Institute for Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine under the direction of Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt and the Department of the Clinical Department with a working group and a research group of the Med Uni Graz.

The lead in the study is the University of Rostock together with the Viennese biotech company Themis Bioscience GmbH.

Two injections are enough

It has been reported that two injections are sufficient for immunization, no matter if one month or six months apart - both times the new modified measles virus vaccine was found to be effective and safe.

As explained in the communication, the vaccine is applied to the muscle and triggers antibody production in the lymphatic system.

If an infection with the Chikungunya virus occurs, these antibodies are then ready to neutralize the virus, which does not lead to the onset of the disease.

"The results of the Phase II study with 263 subjects are really promising in terms of immunogenicity, safety and tolerability of the vaccine," said Wiedermann-Schmidt.

The vaccine is a live vaccine based on the measles virus vaccine strain that has been genetically modified to express the surface proteins of Chikungunya.

Even after a single vaccination, neutralizing antibodies are formed.

An added bonus of this vaccine is that pre-existing measles immunity does not compromise the efficacy of the vaccine; on the contrary, it increases / boosts the protective / anti-measles antibodies.

The findings of the Phase II study must now be evaluated in a Phase III. If they are confirmed, then, according to Wiedermann, an effective vaccine could be launched for the first time in a few years' time.

Complaints can last for months

Chikungunya fever is often described as a blend of osteoarthritis and the flu. Infected people suffer from symptoms such as severe headache, joint and limb pain after a short incubation period.

Even complaints such as swelling of the lymph nodes, itching rash, mucosal bleeding or gastrointestinal complaints may occur.

The initial fever in Chikungunya disappears in most cases after a few days. However, sometimes the symptoms can last for months.

Even if an infection heals itself, it can be very tedious. After surviving illness but it comes to life-long immunity.

Currently, there is no specific treatment that could stop the Chikungunya virus and its associated disease, which may even be fatal: "At present, we can only try to relieve the symptoms of the disease," says Wiedermann-Schmidt.

Virus is spreading worldwide

According to the MedUni communication, the Chikungunya virus started in Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka or Thailand and then spread across Africa and the Caribbean islands to Central and South America, the South of the US, Florida and Puerto Rico.

In Europe, Chikungunya fever has so far been diagnosed mainly as an imported (travel) disease in returning tourists.

The only exception is the regionally limited outbreak of Chikungunya fever in the Italian province of Ravenna, with more than 300 cases in 2007.

And in southern Franconia there were some "autochthonous" cases in 2010 and 2014, i. isolated regionally.

The virus is transmitted by day-active mosquitoes, in particular by the so-called tiger mosquitoes.

"A further spread also here in Central Europe is quite realistic. These mosquitoes are being carried further and further away by traveling and transporting goods, "emphasized Wiedermann-Schmidt. (Ad)