Thai researchers have developed a vaccine against dengue, a mosquitoborne viral infection with potentially deadly complications. This vaccine is seen as the most promising, so everybody is excited.
Researchers say the live, attenuated vaccine is two to five years away from commercial use.
It was developed at Mahidol University, west of Bangkok. The university has signed a contract with the French company Pasteur Maerieux Connaught, giving it a 20-year exclusive license worldwide. Dengue is found in tropical and subtropical regions, primarily in Africa, Central and South America, the West Pacific, and Southeast Asia. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a serious complication of the illness that, without proper treatment, has fatality rates of 15 percent or more. The symptoms of dengue vary according to the age of the patient.