Testing of Marburg Virus Vaccines to Commence in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania: WHO readies for Trial Run
The deadly Marburg virus may soon have a cure as the World Health Organization (WHO) launches the testing phase for two vaccine trials in Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea. WHO aims to combat the disease, which is similar to the Ebola virus and has a high mortality rate of up to 88%, by conducting a test run for the potential vaccine.
The Need for a Marburg Vaccine
The Marburg virus is known to be extremely deadly, and its symptoms can be compared to those of Ebola. Unlike Ebola, however, there is currently no licensed vaccine for Marburg, even though the two viruses share many similarities.
The last recorded Marburg outbreak in 2017 in Uganda resulted in the deaths of two men. WHO is keen on preventing such incidents while finding a cure for the virus. The launch of vaccine trials comes at a time when the disease outbreak is escalating.
Vaccine Trials to Commence in Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea
The vaccine trials will be conducted in partnership with the governments of Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea following WHO’s successful testing of a Marburg vaccine in primates. Equatorial Guinea, which had never recorded any Marburg outbreaks, was chosen due to its proximity to countries that have recorded these outbreaks.
Tanzania, on the other hand, is where WHO had previously conducted successful vaccine trials for Ebola vaccines.
Preparing for the Vaccine Trials
The vaccine trials will involve testing two newly developed Marburg vaccines in different phases. The vaccine candidate that will proceed to further testing will also be decided. The WHO team is currently preparing for vaccine trials in both countries by initiating the program and training personnel on how to administer the vaccines.
Conclusion
Combatting the Marburg virus is one of WHO’s initiatives in securing public health, and developing a vaccine is a major step towards containing the illness. Conducting vaccine trials in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania is a significant part of the endeavor, and WHO is ready to launch the test phase. #WHO #MarburgVirus #VaccineTrials #Tanzania #EquatorialGuinea #HEALTH