Research into a dengue vaccine commenced in the 1940s under the guidance of Sabin and his team. Despite numerous endeavors, the creation of an effective vaccine has remained elusive. Although our understanding of the virus and the disease has greatly advanced, no approved vaccine has yet been developed.
The complexity of dengue vaccine development
Research on dengue vaccine, initiated by Sabin and colleagues in the 1940s, has encountered numerous challenges. Despite multiple attempts, a successful vaccine has yet to be realized. The complexity lies in the fact that dengue is caused by four closely related viruses, necessitating a vaccine to confer immunity against all four concurrently. While infection with one type of dengue virus provides lifelong immunity against that specific type, secondary infections can lead to severe or fatal cases, posing a concern for vaccine development. Currently, a vaccine is undergoing clinical trials in the USA aiming to protect against all four dengue viruses, but its safety and efficacy are yet to be established.