Zika Virus
WHO: thanks to Ebola more quickly to the vaccine against Zika Virus
Lessons from the Ebola crisis to help find a vaccine against Zika Virus to develop, announce experts at a science conference in Washington. Clinical studies could be back in the summer to start.
“Everyone wants to be with me today about Zika speak,” says Christopher Dye, a strategic Director at the world health organisation. Actually, he refers to the AAAS Meeting, the conference of the largest Wissenschaftlerorganisation the world, like humanity, the Ebola crisis in West Africa has dealt with. However, the Zika Virus, which rapidly across South and Central America has spread, seems to be the most more interested.
26 countries are now affected, proclaimed Marcos Espinal of the WHO on Friday (12.02.2016) in Washington. According to Dye, were in Brazil already 4000 babies with Mikrozephalie born, “and we assume that the number is set to increase”. The neurological disorder was most likely from Zika caused, says Dye: “Zika is guilty until his innocence is proved.”
At the conference it becomes clear how little of the science so far about the Virus white. Can also women the Virus to your mate? In which stage of the pregnancy is an infection particularly dangerous to the Baby? Which mosquito species can Zika-Virus? Many of the questions shaking the experts are only regretful of the heads: “we know That, unfortunately, not yet.”
Hope for a quick vaccine
The danger for the Unborn child to banish, there are for the most only one solution: “We will have a vaccine against Zika need,” says Biostatisticians Ira Longini of the University of Florida in the year 2015, the Ebola Impfstoffstudie with designed.
With Express-Impfstoffentwicklungen the WHO and its partners are now finally out of the Ebola epidemic experience. Dye is optimistic that the WHO, together with partners, a vaccine against Zika Virus find is – “Ebola has shown that the regulatory sequences involved in Impfstoffstudien in an emergency to accelerate,” explains Dye in the DW-Interview. When Ebola is within a half-year has succeeded in a clinical vaccination study to put on the legs.
Waiting In the wings
Anthony fancy from the US Institute for allergies and infectious diseases promises that it is already the end of the summer a vaccine. However, it must then be initially tested on humans. “We do not know whether he also will work”, says fancy. Pharmaceutical and Biotechfirmen, but were already on his Institute came and would have for a cooperation – also an improvement compared to the Ebola epidemic.
No time for lengthy studies: Testimpfungen against Ebola in a hospital in Liberia
In the testing of the vaccine against Ebola is one for the first time by the usual procedure applied, almost at random subjects in a population select and to vaccinate. Instead, researchers have targeted the people vaccinated with the Ebola Patients come into contact were, so were at risk of Contracting an infection. “I believe that such a procedure would also Zika work,” says Longini. Here, however, are mosquitoes, the main carriers – that must be the study design with inclusion.
Relatives of the Zika Virus
In the development of a vaccine against Ebola had the developers luck, says Christopher Dye of the WHO in the DW-Interview: “There have been a Impfstoffvorläufer.” Because researchers had already been working for many years. What was missing, was mainly due to the clinical trials so far no one had executed, because they were too expensive.
Christopher Dye at the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
At zero must, however, also Zika does not start, says Dye. Zika belongs to the Virenfamilie of flaviviruses. “This is similar to Zika yellow fever, Dengue fever and the West Nile Virus with all three, we already have experience.”
Dye sincerely hopes that Zika yellow fever Virus similar to: “The vaccine against yellow fever is fantastic,” says Dye. One injection offers protection for 10 years – a dream for the virologists. “Dengue fever, in turn, is very much more complicated.” Although there is currently a vaccine against Dengue on the market, but which has, in the clinical studies is rather disappointing cut: He appears only in 60 percent of cases – and even this are the three injections necessary.
While the researchers in the laboratory on a possible vaccine against Zika do crafts, watch Dye, Espinal and fancy curious about the situation in South and Central America.
“The Zika Virus is the first Time ever in this Region emerged. Humans have no natural immunity,” says Dye. It is important for you to know: Are the people who have a Zika infection, thence immune disease so a second Time? If so, there is reason for hope: Then is also likely to have a vaccine to get good results.