Brazil Rolls Out a Home-Grown Single-Shot Dengue Vaccine

The Butantan Institute in Brazil created a dengue vaccine that works well with one dose and was 79.6% effective over two years.

This could be a big step in fighting dengue if people actually take it.

Brazil’s current dengue vaccination campaign with a Japanese product started on February 9 but faced hurdles, as only 17% of doses found recipients a month later.

The new Brazilian vaccine is said to help everyone, even those who have never had the disease.

The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) provided about 20 million USD for this. The vaccine uses weak versions of all four dengue types.

Brazil is currently facing a rise in dengue cases. From January to mid-March, there were 1.3 million likely cases.

There were also 343 deaths. Another 775 deaths are still being looked into.

This vaccine is different from others in Brazil. It requires only one shot and is for people aged 2 to 59.

Fernanda Boulos, a top doctor at the institute, shared this info. She said these features make the Butantan vaccine unique.

The vaccine must pass more tests before the public can get it. It might be ready by 2025 through Brazil’s health system.

Researchers tested the vaccine on 16,235 people across Brazil. These people were between 2 and 59 years old.

The test lasted two years and showed strong protection for all ages. Adults had 90% protection, teens had 77.8%, and young children had 80.1%.

Brazil already has two approved dengue vaccines

Most side effects were mild or moderate. They included pain, redness, headaches, and tiredness. Very few had serious side effects. Less than 0.1% were affected, but they all recovered.

Brazil already has two approved dengue vaccines: QDenga from Japan’s Takeda and Dengvaxia from France’s Sanofi.

Dengue causes fever, body pain, rash, and headaches. It comes from one of four virus types. Sometimes, it can get very serious.

This can lead to bleeding, low blood pressure, or shock. This vaccine matters because it offers a simpler, wider-reaching solution to dengue prevention.

It connects to global health by offering a potential model for dengue vaccination worldwide.