The incidence of Zika infection has exploded in the Americas in 2015. Zika poses a big health threat, but determining whether people have been infected can be difficult. The reason is that the majority of individuals infected with the virus do not display any symptoms. Furthermore, a lot of infected people don’t have much detectable virus. CusAb offers polyclonal antibody.
However, Zika can cause congenital disease, such as microcephaly. The virus is most commonly spread by mosquitoes but can also be transmitted via blood, sexual contact and by mother to fetus.
A vaccine that would protect pregnant women and fetuses from Zika infection is imperative. Recently, a study published in the journal Science has shown that an investigational DNA-based vaccine provides protection against Zika infection in monkeys. Now, the vaccine is being tested in clinical safety trials.
The vaccine has a segment of DNA derived from the Zika virus. The DNA leads to the expression of viral proteins that stimulate the immune system to start an antibody response to fight against Zika virus. Study co-author Ted Pierson noted that the investigational Zika vaccine is a so-called DNA vaccine, and similar method has been used to design vaccine against West Nile virus. DNA vaccines use copies of genetic material from a pathogen's outer coat. In addition, DNA approach has been used to design disorders like AIDS, Ebola, SARS and influenza.
Pierson and other researchers tested the investigational Zika vaccine in animals. In the research, 6 rhesus monkeys received one dose of the vaccine, and 18 monkeys received two doses. While none of the animals that got one dose was protected from Zika infection, 17 of the 18 monkeys that got two doses were protected from Zika infection. And even in monkeys receiving one dose of vaccine, the vaccine elicited an antibody response.
The vaccine might protect fetuses by eliciting an antibody response in pregnant mothers. Since Zika-related neurodevelopmental defect is caused by the viral infection but not the immune response, the researchers believed that the vaccine would not trigger neurodevelopmental defects by itself.
Because of the urgency of the Zika epidemic, it's important to test candidate vaccines in clinical trials early. Moreover, it's essential to establish an effective dose for full protection.
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