The fight dengue virus: New antibodies could become vaccine

The fight dengue virus: New antibodies could become vaccine

Dengue fever is not as well known as malaria, yet it involves a serious infectious disease. The dengue virus settles in the tiger mosquito and can be transferred by a sting of the insect to man.

The result is a tropical disease with high fever and pain. Every year worldwide become infected between 50 and 100 million. Although dengue fever ends rarer than malaria fatal, it still comes to around 20,000 deaths each year.
2D22 as hopefuls

Researchers worldwide are working on ways to combat the dengue virus and thus to avert the danger for humanity. So far, however, there is no effective vaccine. The best candidate who has been tested, brings a protection of 56 percent and thus helps only about every second patient. This is not sufficient for an effective vaccination.

Recently, a team of researchers, however, become aware of a specific antibody that could prove in future to be useful. So far, he wears only the drug name "2D22".
Risk of complications

The scientists tested 2D22 in animal studies in mice. It was found that the active antibodies actually important proteins attack on the surface of Dengue virus and destroys them. In the body of the mice which meant that the virus could no longer effectively penetrate into the body cells. Thus the body an infection was prevented.

The experiments also showed that 2D22 causes no cross-reactivity during his work. Cross reactions are greatly feared. While the patient is weakened by a virus, there have also other pathogens and can easily enter the body.

Anyone who suffers from dengue fever, is vulnerable during infection of other diseases such as yellow fever. The infection with another form of the dengue virus is possible, because there are different genotypes. However, the mice in the experiment showed no cross-reactivity.