• World
  • Feb 04

WHO launches vaccination trial against SVD in Uganda

• In a global first, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched a vaccine trial for Ebola from the Sudan species of the virus.

• Last week, the WHO confirmed an outbreak of Sudan Virus Disease (SVD), which is part of the Ebola virus family in Uganda. 

• This is Uganda’s sixth outbreak of Ebola Sudan, which causes severe hemorrhagic fever disease.

• As many as 45 contacts have been identified. Close contacts are at elevated risk of infection and are prioritised for inclusion in a ring vaccination trial.

• The first participants have been vaccinated with an investigational Ebola Sudan vaccine candidate provided by IAVI, a non-profit scientific research organisation, as part of the WHO-led ring vaccination trial taking place at Makerere University Lung Institute in Kampala.

What is ring vaccination?

• The ring vaccination trial is a recently developed design for evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of vaccines during infectious disease outbreaks.

• Ring vaccination consists of the targeted vaccination of the recent contacts of an index case.

• This group of traced contacts forms a “ring” of the social contact network of the index case.

• It might protect the individual vaccinated or help create a small buffer zone of immunised people that could limit propagation of the infection.

• If the candidate vaccine is effective, it can contribute to controlling this outbreak and generate data for vaccine licensure.

Sudan Virus Disease

• Sudan Virus Disease is a severe, often fatal illness affecting humans and other primates that is due to Orthoebolavirus sudanense (Sudan virus), a viral species belonging to the same genus of the virus causing Ebola virus disease. 

• There have been eight previous outbreaks of the Sudan Virus Disease, with five occurring in Uganda and three in Sudan. Uganda last reported an outbreak of Sudan virus disease in 2022. 

• Case fatality rates of SVD have varied from 41-100 per cent in past outbreaks. 

• There are no approved treatments or vaccines for Sudan virus. Early initiation of supportive treatment has been shown to significantly reduce deaths from Sudan virus disease.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store

Notes
Related Topics