Zika Virus Vaccine News 2017: Single Dose of mRNA Vaccine Provides Immunity for Animals
The race to find a vaccine for Zika virus (ZKV) is still ongoing as researchers continue to work around the clock following the epidemic that originated from Brazil in early 2015. With more cases of infection being reported in different parts of the world each day, there is an urgent need to find a solution to this affliction. Thankfully, one particular study has been catching the attention of many due to its promising findings.
In a study recently published by Nature, researchers from the Department of Medicine of University of Pennsylvania have found that messenger RNA (mRNA) has proven to be a versatile and effective platform in which vaccine antigens and therapeutic proteins may be successfully delivered to fight off ZKV.
According to the paper's abstract, a single low-dose of the potential vaccine was tested on mice and monkeys and this successfully provided the subjects with long-lasting protection. The study found that the vaccine was effective in creating immunity as early as two weeks and even five months after vaccination.
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"If you inject DNA, you find about 1 in 100 cells actually take it up. When you inject RNA, 80, 90-plus percent of the cells take it up. So it's much more efficient," said Dr. Drew Weissman, one of the lead researchers.
While there is no guarantee that the nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccination will have the same effectiveness for humans, the study demonstrates that this particular method shows immense potential for further exploration. Clinical trials are expected to begin in 12 to 18 months.
ZKV infection, which is transmitted by Aedes mosquitos, manifests itself through mild symptoms, much like a muted form of dengue fever. In rare cases, adults may develop Guillain–Barré syndrome. On the other hand, it has been found that babies of mothers who were infected by the virus during pregnancy are at risk for developing significant birth defects, specifically microcephaly and other congenital neurological abnormalities.
Given these findings, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed the importance of developing a non-live vaccine that can be given to pregnant women and those who fall in the childbearing age range.
