World’s First Vaccine for Chikungunya Approved

November 17, 2023

GS Paper III Science and Technology

Context:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. granted approval to the world’s first vaccine for chikungunya on November 9.

Ixchiq – World’s First Vaccine for Chikungunya

Manufacturer: Valneva (European)
Vaccine Name: Ixchiq
Eligibility: Individuals aged 18 or older at an increased risk of chikungunya exposure.
Vaccine Administration:
- Dosage: Single-dose injection into the muscle.
- Composition: Live, weakened chikungunya virus.

Live-Attenuated Vaccines

These differ from traditional inactivated vaccines where the pathogen is “killed”.
As the name suggests the pathogen (typically a virus) remains active in live vaccines, however, is attenuated or modified in a way that the pathogen is not able to cause disease itself but can produce a robust immune response.

About Chikungunya Disease:

Chikungunya disease, is characterised by severe joint pain and impaired mobility, and comes with fever.
Transmission: It is a viral infection (CHIKV) transmitted primarily by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and has been described as “an emerging global health threat.”

vaccine for chikungunya

Treatment: As of now, there is no cure, only symptomatic relief, with analgesics to help with the pain, antipyretics for the fever, rest, and adequate fluids.
Prevention: It includes mosquito control activities.
Prevalent of Chikungunya: Brazil, Paraguay, India (as per the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control, India had 93,455 suspected chikungunya cases until September in 2023), and parts of western Africa.

News Source: The Hindu

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