Dengue Vaccine: An Overview
Introduction
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease that is a major public health concern in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The virus can cause a wide range of symptoms, from mild fever to severe, life-threatening illness. In recent years, a number of vaccines have been developed to prevent dengue fever, offering new hope for controlling this devastating disease.
How Dengue Vaccines Work
Dengue vaccines work by stimulating the body's immune system to produce antibodies that can recognize and neutralize the dengue virus. These antibodies can then protect the vaccinated individual from future infection with the virus.
Dengue vaccines are typically made from weakened or inactivated dengue viruses. These viruses are unable to cause disease, but they can still stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies. Some dengue vaccines are also made from recombinant DNA technology, which involves inserting a gene from the dengue virus into another virus or bacterium. This allows the body to produce dengue antibodies without the need for exposure to the live virus.
Efficacy and Safety of Dengue Vaccines
Dengue vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials. The most effective dengue vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of dengue fever by 60-80%. These vaccines have also been shown to be safe, with few side effects reported.
Who Should Get a Dengue Vaccine?
Dengue vaccines are recommended for people who live in or travel to areas where dengue fever is common. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that all children over the age of 9 months who live in these areas should be vaccinated against dengue fever.
Dengue vaccines are not currently recommended for people who have had dengue fever in the past. This is because natural infection with the dengue virus provides long-lasting immunity to the disease.
Conclusion
Dengue vaccines are an important tool for preventing dengue fever, a serious and potentially life-threatening disease. These vaccines are safe and effective, and they offer a new hope for controlling this devastating disease.
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