India’s First Dengue Vaccine Approved by CDSCO
We have a new vaccine that could help in fighting against dengue; many of us would have heard it by now. It’s called QDENGA. This is a vaccine made by a japanese pharmacy company called Takeda. This is incredible because it helps in reducing the chances of people getting infected with dengue. This is usually seen a lot in monsoon season.
The drug was given the go-ahead signal from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), which is a part of the government that helps regulate which drugs can be given to the general public. When it comes to preventing dengue, doctors usually would rely on mosquito control and supportive treatment because there was no approved vaccine available in the country.
What Is Dengue?
So, some of you must be wondering what actually makes us get affected with dengue. Well, Dengue is a disease that is of a viral nature. It gets spread through mosquitoes. The only type of mosquito to affect you is the Aedes mosquito. Keep in mind that it bites during the daytime. The usual symptoms are:
- high fever
- severe headache
- pain behind the eyes
- muscle and joint pain
- skin rashes
- and extreme tiredness
Other than QDENGA, there was no medicine that cures Dengue. Most patients in the past would get better with rest, fluids, and proper medical care. That’s why preventing the disease is so important.
How Does QDENGA Work?
QDENGA is a vaccine whose function is to help the immune system recognise what the infection will actually look like. When the actual infection enters the body, the immune system can attack it completely. So, how does the immune system recognise the virus? QDENGA is a live-attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine. It contains the weakened forms of the dengue virus that help prepare the immune system to recognise and react to future infections without causing dengue disease in healthy individuals.
However, there is a chance of having a condition called Antibody-Dependent Enhancement (ADE), which occurs if you get infected with dengue again. This is where QDENGA really helps. Because QDENGA protects against all four dengue virus serotypes, it helps reduce the risk of severe dengue and dengue-related hospitalisations. Researchers are continuing to monitor its long-term protection against secondary infections.
Who Can Get the Dengue Vaccine?
In India, QDENGA can be given to people between 4 and 60 years of age.
The vaccination schedule includes:
- Two doses
- Given three months apart
- Injected just under the skin (subcutaneous injection)
One of the biggest pros of QDENGA is that people do not need to have had dengue before to receive the vaccine. This makes it easier to use in India, where dengue is common.
How Well Does the New Dengue Vaccine Work?
Clinical studies have shown positive results.
Large Phase III clinical trials showed that QDENGA greatly reduced dengue-related hospitalisations and offered meaningful protection against symptomatic dengue infection, although the effectiveness varied by dengue virus serotype and previous infection status.
Keep in mind that no vaccine can prevent every infection, but reducing the illness is an amazing thing because it can save lives and reduce pressure on hospitals during dengue outbreaks.
What Does QDENGA Mean for Healthcare Workers?
QDENGA gives a unique opportunity to all healthcare workers. This approval can be used to understand how the vaccine works and how it reacts to many patients. It gives everyone a more practical understanding of what serotypes are and how the vaccine would react, though it has been tested on multiple people.
The healthcare workers should now focus on remembering the dosing schedule for the vaccine, along with who the vaccine can be given to, some recommended steps and potential side effects, so that they can advise the patient correctly.
Does This Mean We Can Stop Worrying About Mosquitoes?
Not yet.
Some of the measures we can take in order not to be affected are:
- Using Mosquito Repellants
- Wearing full-sleeved clothes
- And using mosquito nets/ screens wherever possible.
Vaccination works best when combined with these measures.
A New Chapter in India’s Fight Against Dengue
The approval of QDENGA is a major step for India’s healthcare system. It gives doctors another tool to protect people from one of the country’s most common diseases.
While vaccination cannot completely get rid of dengue, it has the potential to reduce severe infections, lower hospital admissions, and save many lives. Combined with public awareness and mosquito control, India’s first dengue vaccine could make a real difference in the years ahead.
