Assalamualaikum. Based on Sinar Harian online, we can prevent from getting dengue fever by getting a vaccine in hospital nearby. Here is the article in the online newspaper.
KUALA LUMPUR - The results of a study on the dengue vaccine awaited and finally introduced last Friday showed 90 percent efficacy in preventing dengue hemorrhagic fever.
French pharmaceutical company, Sanofi revealed in a leading medical journal, The Lancet, detailed results of the Phase III clinical trial conducted in five Asian countries.
More than two-thirds of the global number of illnesses caused by mosquitoes recorded in the region.
Clinical trials conducted on 10,275 healthy children aged between two and 14 years in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Dengue vaccine efficacy study is the first conducted on a large scale.
It is intended to estimate the coverage generated by this vaccine after the last injection of three injections, each spaced six months.
Economic implications
The results indicated that the vaccine provides protection for 80 percent of dengue hemorrhagic fever after one or more injections, and rose to 88.5 percent after three.
According to virologists Malaysia, Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Lam Sai Kit, it can reduce the cost of hospitalization and health care as the vaccine reduces the incidence of severe dengue by two-thirds.
It can also prevent death.
He, who is also former President of the Steering Committee of the Asia Pacific Dengue Vaccine Vaccination, said the social impact of the parents can not be measured.
The study uses multiple data sources to estimate costs due to illness in Malaysia by University Malaya Medical Centre with Brandeis University, USA showed that the economic burden of dengue in the country is the AS102 (RM325 million) a year, or approximately AS3.72 (RM11.85) pe capita.
"Another study by UM researchers and Brandeis is on the economic cost of dengue vector control and the cost per capita is estimated AS1.70 (RM5.42).
"Using a vaccine now cost-effective for the state," says Dr. Lam, High Impact Research Consultant University of Malaya (UM).
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, revealed in a press statement on July 11 that a dengue vaccine reduced by 56.5 percent in the group given the vaccine.
This compared with a control group, as observed during 25 active surveillance.
Data also showed better protection against dengue virus type DEN3 and 4 (75 percent), lack of DEN1 (50 percent) and lack of DEN2 (35 percent).
Dr Lam said percent efficacy against DEN2 is low and further analysis needs to be made.
"It is important to await the outcome of the Latin American trial involving more than 20,000 volunteers to see whether the findings are correct," he said.
The final stage of the second test being carried out in Brazil, Columbia, Honduras, Mexico and Puerto Rico over 20,000 children aged between nine and 16 years.
The results will be published before the end of this year.
Just How Effective?
According to Dr Lam, one of the points raised in The Lancet is one dose of vaccine efficacy in spite of three doses, in the five countries where the trials were conducted.
This may reduce the cost of immunization for vaccine might high price.
What it might be related to the fact that the volunteers have existing antibodies due to natural exposure to 'flavivirus' including dengue.
"Further assessment should be made to see whether the findings are consistent.
"If true, this would make the administration of vaccines in countries which have dengue endemic and of course cheaper," said Dr Lam.
The findings also indicated that the vaccine may be more effective in countries which have a high number of dengue cases because of pre-existing antibodies.
For the same reason it is more efficient to children who are older as the group may have experienced.
The vaccine may also not very efficient for those who come from countries that do not have a lot of cases.
"British travelers who want to get immunization against dengue before coming to Malaysia, for example, may get poor protection from the vaccine.
"However, we need to do a larger study before drawing any conclusions," he said.
Dr Lam suggested the vaccine is given to children who attend school in advance, especially in high school.
"The fact of severe dengue happens to young people and to give the vaccine to students of secondary schools, risk group for severe dengue, it can reduce dengue haemorrhagic fever and death in this country", he said.
Next Steps
Almost half of the world's population has been infected with dengue, also known as "break bone fever" because of the extreme pain.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dengue attack about 100 million people a year, while some experts put the figure tripled.
In Malaysia, a total of 46,681 dengue cases were reported from January to early July this year. This is an increase of 246 percent compared to the same period last year.
The mortality rate for the same period amounted to 87.222 per cent increase from the same period last year.
"In the last 40 years since I started doing research on dengue, it has increased 30-fold in spite of the control measures.
"The vaccine we hope we have additional equipment to repel the attack of the disease.
"If the data from the Latin American trial support the study of Asia, the authorities should seriously consider its use in Malaysia," he said. - Bernama
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