New Developments in Zika Virus Vaccine for Pregnant Women

In 2016, Zika was one of the hottest news topics in the world. Now, just a little over two years later, we barely hear anything about this virus. However, scientists are still working to develop a vaccine or treatment, especially for pregnant women, to help prevent the potentially debilitating effects of the virus (i.e. microcephaly).

Researchers at the University of Liverpool and Public Health England have started a £4.7 million project to develop a "ready to use" Zika vaccine for pregnant women who suspect they have been infected. It is very difficult to give pregnant women vaccines for safety reasons for both the mother and the child so the project will be challenging. However, this group is committed to developing a safe vaccine to prevent fetal abnormalities. They plan on creating a vaccine that is derived from a smallpox vaccine no longer in use. While this vaccine may take many years to be officially in use, the promise of potentially saving many lives of babies yet to be born is exciting.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-43156952

-Alexandra