Worldwide, there are around 390 million cases of dengue a year – a potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus. But according to a new study published in the journal Science, researchers have made a discovery that could lead to a vaccine and treatments for the condition.

Share on Pinterest The researchers have discovered an antibody that prevented dengue infection in mouse models, bringing us closer to a vaccine for the virus.

Study co-author Dr. James Crowe Jr., of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, and colleagues have uncovered a human antibody that prevented dengue in mouse models by stopping the virus from binding to target cells.

“Scientists in the antibody discovery group of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center continue to make great strides in developing novel antiviral drugs, such as this human antibody that not only kills dengue virus but also prevents enhanced dengue disease,” says Dr. Crowe Jr.

Dengue is transmitted by a bite from a mosquito – most commonly the Aedes aegypti mosquito – that is infected with one of four dengue virus serotypes, known as DENV1-4.

Symptoms of dengue include fever, severe headache, joint pain, muscle and bone pain, severe pain behind the eyes and mild bleeding – such as nose bleed. A more severe form of the virus is known as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), characterized by prolonged fever, abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding and breathing problems.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 22,000 people worldwide die from dengue each year, the majority of whom are children.

At present, there are no vaccines or specific medications for dengue. Symptoms are usually treated with painkillers such as acetaminophen, and fluid replacement therapy may be effective if the virus is identified early enough.