mosquito
Brazilian researchers announce promising new dengue vaccine amidst Latin American outbreak
A public research institute in Brazil has developed a promising single-dose vaccine offering strong protection against dengue, a timely discovery given the current severe outbreak across Latin America.
In short:
- The new vaccine effectively combats all four dengue virus strains, potentially improving future outbreak responses.
- Despite this breakthrough, production delays mean the vaccine won't be available in time to combat the current or possibly even the next outbreak cycle.
- Brazil faces specific challenges, as the new vaccine will initially only be available domestically, leaving other Latin American countries to wait for alternative solutions.
Why this matters:
A more effective vaccine could reduce the incidence and severity of the disease, easing the burden on healthcare systems and improving public health outcomes. This is particularly crucial as climate change could expand the habitats of dengue-carrying mosquitoes, potentially increasing the risk areas for the disease.
Climate change drives new cases of malaria, complicating efforts to fight the disease
Rising temps spark concerns over malaria's spread in Türkiye
Rising temperatures, fluctuations in precipitation patterns and extreme weather events are all affecting the life cycles and habitats of mosquitoes that carry malaria.
The mosquitoes are winning
For decades, the world seemed to be winning the war against mosquitoes and tamping down the deadly diseases they carried. But in the past few years, progress has not only stalled, it has reversed.
What’s keeping the US from being a malaria hotspot?
Climate change spurring surge in dengue, chikungunya: WHO
The World Health Organization has warned that dengue and other diseases caused by mosquito-borne arboviruses were spreading far faster and further amid climate change, warning global outbreaks could be looming.
How climate change is spreading malaria in Africa
The mosquitoes that transmit the disease dramatically increased their range over the last century as temperatures warmed, scientists reported.