TV003 Vaccine: New Dengue Vaccine Is Promising, According To Study

The dengue virus, a mosquito-borne disease, has affected many people's lives and has even caused many deaths. Fortunately, a new type of dengue vaccine called TV003 has been developed and it looks promising for at least one type of dengue virus, according to a study.

The TV003 dengue vaccine is still being tested but it could eventually become a breakthrough in controlling the most common mosquito-borne disease in the world, CNN reports. This medical breakthrough should be able to save a lot of lives if it pushes through.

Small study of new #vaccine : 100% protection from #dengue -- fantastic. https://t.co/MjB0G8dn4Y

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) March 16, 2016

Another dengue vaccine -- called Dengvaxia -- became available in dengue-infected countries in Asia and Latin America such as Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador and the Philippines but it is not appropriate for use in countries like the U.S. The Dengvaxia vaccine might increase the risk of children in the U.S. for dengue virus because the U.S. population have not been exposed to the virus before, unlike the people from Latin America and Asia.

This led to the development of a new vaccine that can provide strong protection against the different types of dengue virus even for those who have not been infected in the past. "Control of dengue has certainly been a public health priority for many years. But getting there has not been easy," National Institutes of Health researcher and TV003 designer Stephen S. Whitehead stated at a teleconference.

The symptoms of dengue virus include high fever, severe headaches, painful sensation behind the eyes, joint and muscle aches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, skin rashes, nose bleeding, bleeding gums and bruising, according to WebMD. Applying insect repellant on the body, wearing pants and long-sleeved shirts, securing doors and windows and getting rid of stagnant water around the house can help prevent dengue virus. Hopefully, the new dengue vaccine will be another effective way to protect our health.