Viet Nam, which is testing a dengue fever vaccine produced by Swiss company Sanofi, is expected to approve it soon since it has successfully undergone the second phase of testing on humans.
Viet Nam, which is testing a dengue fever vaccine produced by Swiss company Sanofi, is expected to approve it soon since it has successfully undergone the second phase of testing on humans.
Dr Tran Ngoc Huu, director of the HCM City-based Pasteur Institute, said the third phase of testing was being done in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta cities of Long Xuyen and My Tho.
"Clinical research shows the vaccine can produce anti-bodies in humans against all four dengue fever types (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4).
"Trials also demonstrated that it is safe for humans.
"If the research is successful, Vietnamese children will get a dengue fever vaccine quite soon."
The institute chose to test the vaccine in the two cities because they had reported the largest number of dengue infections last year, he said.
Twelve other Asian countries are independently testing the vaccine, with Thailand expected to announce preliminary results by 2012.
Dengue fever is endemic in 125 countries. WHO estimates that 2.5 billion people around the world are vulnerable to the disease, 70 per cent of them in the Asia – Pacific region.
By September end 45,142 cases were reported in Viet Nam this year, with 39 people being killed.
The numbers are down 46 per cent and 37 per cent compared to last year.
Most of the cases were in the southern region, mainly in HCM City, Dong Nai, An Giang, and Soc Trang, Tran Thanh Duong, deputy head of the Preventive Heath Department said.
Dengue fever is the most prevalent and causes the most deaths out of 28 common infectious diseases in Viet Nam.
Dr Tran Ngoc Huu, director of the HCM City-based Pasteur Institute, said the third phase of testing was being done in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta cities of Long Xuyen and My Tho.
"Clinical research shows the vaccine can produce anti-bodies in humans against all four dengue fever types (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4).
"Trials also demonstrated that it is safe for humans.
"If the research is successful, Vietnamese children will get a dengue fever vaccine quite soon."
The institute chose to test the vaccine in the two cities because they had reported the largest number of dengue infections last year, he said.
Twelve other Asian countries are independently testing the vaccine, with Thailand expected to announce preliminary results by 2012.
Dengue fever is endemic in 125 countries. WHO estimates that 2.5 billion people around the world are vulnerable to the disease, 70 per cent of them in the Asia – Pacific region.
By September end 45,142 cases were reported in Viet Nam this year, with 39 people being killed.
The numbers are down 46 per cent and 37 per cent compared to last year.
Most of the cases were in the southern region, mainly in HCM City, Dong Nai, An Giang, and Soc Trang, Tran Thanh Duong, deputy head of the Preventive Heath Department said.
Dengue fever is the most prevalent and causes the most deaths out of 28 common infectious diseases in Viet Nam.
(Source: VNS)
