This is the first dengue vaccine allowed worldwide. Dengvaxia® was advised by a committee of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) in countries where the virus is most prevalent.
What is dengue fever?
Dengue is a tropical infectious disease transmitted by the tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus.
Symptoms: high fever, headache, nauseajoint and muscle pain and skin rashes.
Its severe form can be dangerous in children and adolescents. Over the past 50 years, the number of dengue fever cases has multiplied by 30. The virus kills between 15,000 and 20,000 people a year.
Dengvaxia® safe and particularly effective
The vaccine is considered safe and particularly effective on people already exposed to the four serotypes of the virus, according to Dr. Jon Abramson, spokesman for the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (Sage).
Dengvaxia® would prevent 80% of hospitalizations and 93% of cases of severe dengue, including its hemorrhagic form.
35 countries are expected to authorize Dengvaxia® by the end of 2016
Dengvaxia® will have required 20 years of research and investments of one and a half billion euros. More than 20 countries submitted the vaccine to health authorities in 2015 and around fifteen additional countries are requesting its authorization this year. About 35 countries are expected to have authorized the vaccine by the end of 2016.
The Dengvaxia® vaccine is already authorized in four countries: Mexicothe Philippines, the Brazil and El Salvador.
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– Unprecedented dengue vaccination campaign in the Philippines
