First Vaccine Against Mosquito-Borne Virus Approved in the US

First Vaccine Against Mosquito-Borne Virus Approved in the US

The FDA approved the first vaccine to prevent illness from the chikungunya virus, as announced on Thursday.

The FDA's approval is expected to accelerate the global rollout of the vaccine.

This year, about 440,000 chikungunya cases, including 350 deaths, have been reported as of September.

A top official at the FDA, Peter Marks, mentioned that getting sick with the chikungunya virus can cause serious health issues and long-lasting problems, especially for older adults and people with existing health conditions.

Ixchiq, a single-dose vaccine created by Valneva Austria GmbH, has been approved for individuals aged 18 and older at higher risk of coming into contact with the chikungunya virus. The vaccine received fast-track and breakthrough therapy designations.

Chikungunya is a disease carried by mosquitoes, and its name in the Makonde dialect means "bending over in pain." There isn't a specific treatment for it, and it can make people very sick, especially newborns. Health experts think it's becoming more of a problem worldwide because of climate change. In the last 15 years, there have been at least 5 million cases, but severe illness and deaths are not common, says the World Health Organization.

People who are most likely to get infected with chikungunya live in Africa, Southeast Asia, and some parts of the Americas, where mosquitoes that carry the virus are common. However, because of the climate crisis, the virus is now spreading to new places in the world.

In the event that somebody gets chikungunya, they regularly experience side effects like fever, joint torment, migraine, muscle torment, and a rash. For certain people, the joint aggravation can be serious and continue for quite some time. Research demonstrates that around 20% to 30% of cases might turn out to be durable. In babies, chikungunya represents a serious and possibly destructive danger.

Ixchiq has a weakened form of the virus that is alive, so it might lead to symptoms resembling an actual infection.

Since there's no exceptional medication for chikungunya, specialists typically encourage patients to rest, drink a lot of liquids, and ingest non-prescription medications for fever or torment. However, researchers accept that getting an immunization is the ideal decision for individuals who are in danger of getting the infection.

The FDA is telling the company that made the vaccine, Valneva, to do a study after the vaccine is available to check if there are any important risks.

The vaccine, as found in studies for FDA approval, showed common side effects like headaches, muscle and joint pain, fever, tenderness at the injection site, and feeling tired. Around 2% of vaccinated individuals had serious chikungunya-like reactions requiring medical help. Only two out of nearly 3,500 people in the trials had to go to the hospital for these reactions. Some also experienced chikungunya-like reactions lasting at least 30 days. The vaccine's information includes a warning to prompt healthcare providers to discuss potential reactions with patients.