Ixiaro: a new vaccine against Japanese encephalitis.
The mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a major threat to human health in Asia. An estimated 50,000 cases occur in the region, accounting for at least 10,000 deaths and 15,000 cases of neuropsychiatric sequelae. A new purified, inactivated JEV vaccine (IC51, Ixiaro) has been developed. Since early 2009, the vaccine has been licensed in Australia, the USA and Europe. A series of successful Phase III studies has been published. Results indicate a very good safety and efficacy profile. The vaccine promises to become a modern approach to active immunization against Japanese encephalitis. With the availability of a new product, wider use of Japanese encephalitis vaccine will be prudent in the future, and guidelines and recommendations should be revised.
Berlin Center for Travel & Tropical Medicine, Berlin, Germany. jelinek@bctropen.de
Tomas
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Jelinek
D001208:Asia; D001315:Australia; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D004672:Encephalitis, Japanese / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D022321:Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D014481:United States; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology
D022321:Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated