Zika virus has all but disappeared from the U.S., but the government said Thursday it’s preparing for future outbreaks with a vaccine trial among dozens of adults in Baltimore and Vermont.
The National Institutes of Health said it’s begun inoculating about 30 participants with a trial vaccine that combines genes from multiple viruses and expresses Zika-like proteins.
The virus is live, yet weakened, so it should produce antibodies to Zika without actually infecting recipients.
Scientists are also stress-testing a vaccine against a similar virus — dengue — with the hopes of crafting a combined vaccine that thwarts both diseases carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
There haven’t been any Zika cases by bug bite this year, and only a few dozen travelers have brought the disease to the mainland this year.
Still, government officials say they’re staying the course after Zika sparked a global panic in 2015-2016 because of its ability to harm children born to infected mothers.
“Zika virus infection remains a significant threat to pregnant women and their developing fetuses, and we can expect to see periodic outbreaks and cases in areas where Aedes aegypti mosquitoes thrive,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of NIH’s infectious disease research.
Earlier this month, the administration said Zika caused problems in one in seven children exposed to the disease through their moms in Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories, highlighting the need for follow-up care.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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