WEB DESK
Russian scientists successfully tested a new Ebola vaccine. The vaccine, dubbed rVSV-ZEBOV, has proved to be highly successful in trials conducted in Sierra Leone and Guinea, scientists from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and other groups said, reports Sputnik.
According to Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny from the World Health Organization, the fact that there are several vaccines in the market is positive.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Canadian researchers came up with a new vaccine against Ebola virus that has been proved to be 100 percent effective in trials.
“This vaccine was developed over a decade ago by Canadian specialists. However, its development was delayed for several times because the vaccine was not expected to be commercially used. Until 2014, the research was funded by the Canadian government and after 2014 by the United States, because Ebola was considered a virus that could be potentially used by terrorists,” Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny, Assistant Director-General at the World Health Organization (WHO), told Sputnik France.
The Russian vaccine was presented in January. Its production was started at the Federal Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology.
However, in mid-December, it was reported that another Russian-developed Ebola vaccine successfully passed the second phase of clinical tests. According to the Russian federal health and epidemic watchdog, preparation of the documents was started to register the vaccine.
The State Scientific Center for Virology and Biotechnology “Vektor” is one of Russia’s leading centers in the field. It was established in 1974. The center conducts scientific and practical activities to withstand global infection threats. It is known for broad international cooperation activities, including with the WHO.
The most recent Ebola outbreak started in December 2013 in Guinea and later spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. The virus has claimed the lives of over 11,000 people, according to WHO estimates. In June, the WHO declared the end to the Ebola outbreak in Guinea and Liberia.
Key facts-
Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.
The average EVD case fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks.
The first EVD outbreaks occurred in remote villages in Central Africa, near tropical rainforests, but the most recent outbreak in West Africa has involved major urban as well as rural areas.
Community engagement is key to successfully controlling outbreaks. Good outbreak control relies on applying a package of interventions, namely case management, surveillance and contact tracing, a good laboratory service, safe burials and social mobilisation.
Early supportive care with rehydration, symptomatic treatment improves survival. There is as yet no licensed treatment proven to neutralise the virus but a range of blood, immunological and drug therapies are under development.
There are currently no licensed Ebola vaccines but 2 potential candidates are undergoing evaluation. (WHO)