DHAKA: A dengue vaccine has been successfully tested for the first time in Bangladesh, raising hopes for the south Asian country to overcome the epidemic, scientists revealed in a new study, according to a statement on Thursday.
The single-dose vaccine, TV005, demonstrated safety and immune responsiveness in children and adults, tested effective against all the four dengue serotypes, according to the study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal on Wednesday.
Scientists from the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B), a Dhaka-based international health research organization, and the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont conducted the study, the ICDDR, B said in the statement.
Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne virus, is spreading throughout the world, especially in tropical regions. Mild cases cause fever and bone pain, while serious ones are associated with shock, bleeding, and sometimes death.
Public health specialists have urged authorities in Bangladesh to improve healthcare facilities as the country struggles to deal with rising cases, up to five times higher than cases reported by the government. Other countries in South Asia are also experiencing surging outbreaks, while this year is Bangladesh’s worst on record as cases overwhelm hospitals in the capital Dhaka, the ICDDR, B added. –Agencies
