Researchers of the CSIC develop a prototype of vaccine against the arthritis epidémica chikungunya

A team of researchers led by the Upper Council of Scientific Investigations (CSIC) has developed a prototype of vaccine against the arthritis epidémica chikungunya. According to the results obtained, this candidate to vaccine protects entirely against this virus, that from 2004 has infected to million people in Africa and Asia. The work appears collected in the magazine Journal of Virology.

The prototype, MVA-CHIKV, bases in a version attenuated of the virus Vaccinia Modified of Ankara in whose genetic sequence have inserted five genes of the virus chikungunya. According to the studies realizar in animals and in blood of healthy donors, MVA-CHIKV active a good innate answer in human cells dendríticas and in macrófagos. Besides, active in mice a population of lymphocytes T that attack specifically to this virus.

“Also have detected in blood some significant levels of antibodies neutralizantes directed against the causante of these fevers. It is the first time that achieves a candidate vacunal with wide notable immunological properties in protection”, indicates Mariano Esteban, researcher of the CSIC in the National Centre of Biotechnology.

The arthritis epidémica chikungunya, of symptoms resembled the ones of the malaria or the dengue, arrives to cause high fever, strong articular pains, cerebral disorders, neural disorders and, even, can cause the death. Although initially it affected to the zone of the Indian Ocean, since it produced a mutation that allows him transmit by the mosquitos tiger (Aedes albopictus), has arrived until the Mediterranean coasts and the Caribbean, reaching the category of epidemic. The World Health Organisation considers it already an emergent illness.

Since reemergió in 2004, the virus has infected to million people in Africa and Asia, by what the scientists work in giving with a vaccine to avoid the illness and his global extension. Although they have developed distinct prototypes vacunales, does not have graduate still any neither exist, for the moment, treatments with antivirales.

“These promising results have obtained injecting so only once the vaccine, by what this prototype vacunal is, for the moment, candidate to struggle against the illness. In the countries where this virus is endemic, would be preferable that only was necessary to apply an or two doses and like this warn the extension of the epidemic”, stands out Esteban.