The University of Thomas Jefferson, USA, announced the start of the first stage of human experiments for vaccine against LASA, in a pioneering project that reflects cooperation between the university and the University of Maryland, USA.
These experiments are conducted at the University of Maryland’s Global Vaccine and Health Development Center in the United States – according to the Yorik Alert website – a big step towards bridging the gap facing public health, as there is yet no approved vaccine to combat the Lhasa fever virus.
Lhasa fever virus .. a global health threat
Lhasa fever virus is a major cause of viral hemorrhagic fever, which is a serious disease that can cause severe bleeding in the body, whether in internal tissues or in other places of the body such as the skin and mucous membranes, and it may be fatal if it is not treated quickly and effectively, and causes a permanent loss of hearing in up to 30% of the survivors of it, which increases its destructive effect.
The virus is a settlement in West Africa, where it affects hundreds of thousands of people annually there, and causes about 5,000 deaths annually. On the other hand, the Lhasa fever virus can be transmitted through the affected rodents, and from person to person as well.
Hope to combat the virus
The experimental vaccine that is tested against the Lhasa fever virus depends on a technique similar to the technique of known rabies (rabies). These vaccines depend on the virus that has been weakened or destroyed, which makes it able to stimulate the immune system without causing the disease. But what distinguishes the Lata experimental vaccine is the addition of a Lata Fever virus protein, which helps the immune system to identify this virus and develop immunity against it.
It is known that the rabies vaccines are safe and have a long record of successful use all over the world, including children and pregnant women, without significant side effects, adding credibility to this experimental vaccine and enhances confidence in the possibility of developing a similar vaccine against the Lhasa virus using the same scientific methods.
The importance of this experience, which will be conducted on humans, is to test the vaccine integrity and its effectiveness in stimulating a strong immune response against the virus. During this stage, various doses of the vaccine will be tried on healthy volunteers to determine the optimal dose that stimulates an effective immune response without causing serious side effects.