Context:
Recently, Dengue cases have surged significantly in some states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.
Relevance:
GS II: Health
Dimensions of the Article:
- Dengue
- Dengue Vaccine
Dengue:
- Dengue is a self-limiting febrile illness characterized by a range of symptoms, from asymptomatic to severe.
- It is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus, which belongs to the Genus Flavivirus. The virus is primarily transmitted by several species of female mosquitoes within the Aedes genus, particularly Aedes aegypti. This mosquito species is also responsible for transmitting other diseases like chikungunya and Zika.
- Dengue is caused by four distinct but closely related serotypes of the virus: DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4.
Symptoms of Dengue:
- Dengue infection typically presents with symptoms such as sudden high fever, severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, and severe bone, joint, and muscle pain.
Dengue Vaccine:
- The dengue vaccine known as CYD-TDV or Dengvaxia received approval from the US Food & Drug Administration in 2019, making it the first dengue vaccine to gain regulatory approval in the US.
- Dengvaxia is a live, attenuated dengue virus vaccine designed for administration to individuals aged 9 to 16 who have laboratory-confirmed previous dengue infection and live in endemic areas.
- Researchers in India, in collaboration with institutions in India, Africa, and the US, have developed India’s first and only DNA vaccine candidate for dengue fever. In preliminary trials on mice, this candidate demonstrated a robust immune response and improved survival rates after exposure to the disease.
Controlling Dengue Using Bacteria:
- Researchers from the World Mosquito Program have successfully controlled dengue by using mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria. This approach led to a 77% reduction in dengue incidence in Indonesia.
-Source: The Hindu
