Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Helen Branswell
Published on 2024-02-28 23:05:53
In a groundbreaking global development, certain travelers and lab researchers who are at risk of contracting chikungunya will soon have the option to be vaccinated against the virus. A committee of vaccine experts has recommended that these select groups of individuals should be provided access to the new vaccine, Ixchiq, developed by Valneva Austria GmbH. Once Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approves the recommendation from the Advisory Group on Immunization Practices, it will become the U.S. vaccination policy.
Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne virus that is not endemic in the United States. The country records about 100 to 200 cases of chikungunya annually, mostly in individuals infected while traveling abroad. This virus, transmitted mainly by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, is primarily found in regions of Central and South America, Africa, and Asia. Although the condition is seldom fatal, it can result in a severe infection characterized by fever and joint pain. While most symptoms typically subside within a week, joint pain can persist for several months post-infection, particularly in babies infected around birth, adults over 65, and individuals with underlying health conditions.
The ACIP recommended that researchers working with chikungunya viruses and individuals traveling to regions with ongoing chikungunya outbreaks should be eligible for vaccination. Furthermore, the committee suggested that certain people traveling to areas where the virus has been prevalent in the past five years should also have the option to be vaccinated after consulting with a healthcare provider. This group includes individuals over 65 with underlying health conditions who are likely to have significant exposure to mosquitoes and those planning to stay in such areas for an extended period, such as six months or more.
The vaccine is not approved for use in children and was granted FDA licensure last fall for individuals aged 18 and above. While the initial eligibility for the vaccine in the U.S. is expected to be limited, the CDC has hinted at the possibility of recommending the vaccine for residents of U.S. territories where the chikungunya virus may be a concern.
It is crucial to note that while chikungunya is a discomforting disease, receiving the vaccine can also be slightly uncomfortable. The vaccine is a live-virus vaccine, containing weakened chikungunya virus strains developed in a laboratory. Live-virus vaccines are known to be reactogenic, potentially causing temporary illness in recipients.
In the studies conducted to support the vaccine’s licensure, 11.7% of participants who received the vaccine reported adverse reactions in comparison to 0.6% of those who received a placebo. Additionally, 1.6% of vaccine recipients experienced reactions severe enough to impede their daily activities or necessitate medical attention, while no severe reactions were reported in the placebo group.
