Key Points
New Delhi: Last week, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) tied up with Hyderabad-based vaccine-maker Indian Immunologicals to begin human trials for a vaccine against Zika, a vector-borne viral disease that has emerged as a public health challenge in India over the last few years...
Phase 1 trial for the vaccine, based on the new codon deoptimisation technologywhich modifies the virus in such a way that it mimics a natural infection without causing harmis set to begin at four clinical trial sites attached with the ICMR...
The Zika virus is spread by the Aedes mosquito, and the disease can be transmitted to the foetus during pregnancy, through sexual contact, blood transfusion and organ transplantation...
Currently, there is no specific treatment or vaccine against the Zika virus, even though another vaccine-maker, Bharat Biotech, is also working on developing a vaccine against the disease...
This collaboration for development of a Zika vaccine in India is important because there is no specific treatment available for the disease, and infected people, when diagnosed, are mostly provided only symptomatic care, the ICMR scientist said.. Pregnant women living in areas with Zika transmission or who develop symptoms of Zika virus infection are recommended to seek medical attention for laboratory testing, information, counselling and other clinical care...
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