The Food and Drug Administration has approved the world’s first vaccine to prevent chikungunya, a mosquito-borne illness that can cause debilitating joint pain for months to years. The vaccine, sold under the brand name Ixchiq, comes at a time when public health experts are increasingly worried about vector-borne illnesses spreading to new regions due to climate change, posing an increased risk to human health.
Chikungunya is a viral disease spread to humans through the bites of infected Aedes mosquitoes, specifically Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Its symptoms include high fever, severe joint and muscle pain, headaches, and rash. Cases of chikungunya have been identified in more than 110 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, with more than 2 million cases reported worldwide since 2005.
In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that since 2006, there has been an average of 28 people per year who test positive for the disease, with 81 travel-related cases reported in 2022. Public health experts worry that the number of cases will continue to rise because warmer temperatures are optimal for the mosquitoes that carry the virus to multiply and thrive.
The approval of Ixchiq lays the groundwork for other vaccines to treat mosquito-related diseases, according to Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. The FDA approved Ixchiq, manufactured by biotech company Valneva Austria GmbH, as a single-dose shot for people 18 years and older who are at increased risk of exposure to the disease.
Approval was granted through the FDA’s accelerated approval process, which is designed to expedite “reasonably likely” treatments for serious or life-threatening diseases. The FDA reported that almost all the participants in the vaccine’s clinical studies had the same antibody levels as those shown to be protective in nonhuman primates. However, more data on the vaccine is needed to confirm its efficacy and the seriousness of its side effects.
The approval of Ixchiq is a significant advancement in the prevention of chikungunya and a step towards addressing the growing concern of vector-borne illnesses due to climate change. It is important to continue monitoring the vaccine’s effectiveness and safety as it rolls out to confirm its success as a public health intervention.