Part of the problem is that close to five months after World Health Organization declared Zika an emergency, much about the mosquito-borne virus remains unknown.
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This “critical first step” is leading to trials in monkeys and humans, “and gives us early confidence that development of a protective Zika virus vaccine for humans is feasible”, said researcher Col. Nelson Michael.
Monkeys infected with Zika virus are protected from future infection, and pregnancy dramatically prolongs infection in monkeys, findings that could help in fighting the virus in people, UW-Madison researchers said Tuesday. All of the monkeys – two of which were pregnant – contracted Zika when exposed to the virus.
Antibodies found in the immunised mice were able to recognise proteins specific to the Zika virus, the report says, and a link was found between the level of protection the animals had and the level of the antibodies.
The researchers are now investigating how long the vaccines remain effective in mice and whether a booster shot of the inactivated virus would extend protection.
Developing a vaccine for pregnant women to protect their unborn babies is an worldwide research priority.
At least 10 pregnant women in the Dallas area have been infected with Zika, Texas officials confirmed last week. -Brazilian team of scientists reported that two distinct vaccine candidates conferred powerful protection from Zika infection when they were delivered by intra-muscular injection to mice.
Colonel Stephen Thomas, an infectious disease army doctor and head of the Zika vaccine programme at WRAIR, said the institute could now develop a proper vaccine that builds on a type of vaccine that has been licensed before – and he is confident it will work.
“Many people travel to and from Nashville to countries where Zika is being transmitted, therefore, we expected the possibility of imported cases of the disease”, said Dr. Bill Paul, Director of Health of Nashville/Davidson County in a news release.
“The focus is now on the educational campaign to reduce mosquito breeding sites and also in protecting women who are considering getting pregnant or may already be pregnant from the risk associated with contracting the Zika virus”, the ministry said.
Clinical trials in humans are scheduled to begin later this year. Dengue, a related mosquito-borne virus, previously swept through much of the same territory Zika is now moving through, andsome scientists have speculated a prior dengue infection could make the impact of Zika worse.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Zika virus typically causes a mild rash, fever and joint pain.
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It is also thought that it could cause Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can result in paralysis.
