Novel Zika vaccine shows promise in animal models
Written By : Isra Zaman
Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli
Published On 2022-09-30 04:00 GMT | Update On 2024-02-15 12:12 GMT
Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have developed a Zika vaccine technology that is highly effective and safe in preclinical mouse models. In a pregnant mouse model, the vaccine prevented both the pregnant mothers and the developing fetuses from developing systemic infection.Vaccinated mice showed elevated levels of cell-mediated immune response, in the form...
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Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have developed a Zika vaccine technology that is highly effective and safe in preclinical mouse models. In a pregnant mouse model, the vaccine prevented both the pregnant mothers and the developing fetuses from developing systemic infection.
Vaccinated mice showed elevated levels of cell-mediated immune response, in the form of increased effector T cell populations, as compared to mice that had not been vaccinated. The researchers also tested the vaccine in a variety of other mouse models, in which it proved safe and protective.
To date, no vaccines or other treatments have been approved for Zika virus. Nor have investigations into other ways of fighting the virus led to clearly effective countermeasures. "But given that RNA viruses-the category to which both Zika and the SARS family of viruses belong-are highly prone to evolving and mutating rapidly, there will likely be more outbreaks in the near future," said Arumugaswami.
The average length of time between periods of extensive Zika viral spread is approximately 7 years. "It is only a matter of time before we start seeing the virus spread again," said Kouki Morizono, co-senior author of this study.
To make matters worse, climate change is expanding the permissible habitats of mosquitoes like Aedes aegypti, which transmits Zika virus to humans, increasing the at-risk population.
Reference:
Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami et al,Microbiology Spectrum DOI10.1128/spectrum.01137-22
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