(PartiallyPolitics.com) – On Thursday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first vaccine that could be used against chikungunya, which is caused by a virus carried by mosquitoes.
The mosquito-borne illness affects over 300,000 people each year across the globe and it is most prevalent in the global south. However, the virus infection has recently increased its prevalence in the north which is why the FDA ended up approving the new vaccine.
FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research director Peter Marks stated that an infection could end up prolonging health problems and could lead to a number of diseases. He added that this was a big problem for older adults and those who had underlying medical conditions.
He then pointed out that with the approval of the vaccination, they would be addressing a medical need that had been previously left unmet and that the move was a crucial advancement in preventing the “debilitating disease” that does not have many treatment options.
The Centers for Disease Control stated that around 28 Americans are infected by the disease each year. The common virus symptoms include joint and fever pains.
Ixchiq, the new vaccine is going to first be made available to vulnerable populations who have traveled to destinations with a large infection mosquito population or those who have predisposed risks. The virus is known to cause an increased risk to Europeans and Americans because of the effects of climate change. In June the European Union warned about the effects of the virus as it was becoming more common due to the global increase in temperatures.
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