Khaberni - Brazilian authorities on Wednesday approved the world's first single-dose vaccine against dengue fever, a development that Brazil hailed and described as "historic."
The Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) approved the use of the "Butantan-DV" vaccine, developed by the Butantan Institute in Sao Paulo, for people aged 12 to 59.
Until now, the only vaccine available against dengue in the world was TAK-003, which is given in two doses three months apart, according to the World Health Organization.
The new single-dose vaccine will accelerate and facilitate mass vaccination campaigns.
Esper Kallas, director of the Butantan Institute, said at a press conference in Sao Paulo, "This is a historic success in the fields of science and health in Brazil."
He added, "It is now possible to fight the disease that has plagued us for decades with a very powerful weapon."
Health Minister Alexandre Padilha explained that Brazil has reached an agreement with the Chinese company "WuXi" to supply about 30 million doses in the second half of 2026.
The new vaccine was tested on more than 16,000 volunteers in 14 Brazilian states over 8 years and proved 91.6% effective against the most severe form of the disease.
Dengue fever, transmitted to humans by the tiger mosquito, can cause fever, headaches, muscle pains, nausea, and a skin rash, and in rare cases, it may be fatal.
Last year, Brazil recorded more than 6,000 deaths from dengue fever, nearly half of the deaths reported worldwide.
