FDA Approves First Chikungunya Vaccine as Mosquito-Borne Diseases Spread
FDA Approves First Chikungunya Vaccine as Mosquito-Borne Diseases Spread A first of its kind vaccine has been approved by the FDA to prevent infections with the chikungunya virus. The virus is most prevalent in semi-tropical and tropical areas, such as Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Tropical diseases could spread more widely in the U.S. as the climate changes. This month the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Trusted Source the approval the first vaccine to treat Chikungunya, a tropical disease. The drug, named Ixchiq and produced by Austrian firm Valneva, is to be used to prevent infections with Chikungunya virus, which predominantly occur in semi-tropical and tropical areas like South and Central America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. What is the chikungunya virus? Chikungunya virus is carried by mosquitoes and was first identified in the 1950’s, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source. It’s charac...