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Ebola vaccine 'promising in African populations' | Ebola vaccine 'promising in African populations' |
(1 day later) | |
The first-ever trial of an Ebola vaccine in Africa showed promising initial results, reports the Lancet medical journal. | |
The vaccine, given to Ugandan and American volunteers, appeared to generate the desired immune response - although not enough to make it a good candidate for wider use. | |
Scientists say although it will not beat Ebola, it is a crucial step. | |
This trial has stopped but other vaccines are in development. | |
The Ebola virus has killed more than 7,000 people in the worst-affected countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. | |
No proven vaccine exists to prevent people from getting the disease, though several trials are underway. | No proven vaccine exists to prevent people from getting the disease, though several trials are underway. |
The aim of a successful vaccine is to train the immune systems of healthy people to produce antibodies - proteins capable of fighting off any future infections. | The aim of a successful vaccine is to train the immune systems of healthy people to produce antibodies - proteins capable of fighting off any future infections. |
The Lancet study | |
In 2009, researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) tested their experimental vaccine on healthy adults in Uganda, having first trialled it in the US. | |
Dr Julie Ledgerwood, the lead researcher of the trial that has been written up and published in The Lancet, said: "This is the first study to show comparable safety and immune response of an experimental Ebola vaccine in an African population. | |
"This is particularly encouraging because those at greatest risk of Ebola live primarily in Africa and diminished vaccine protection in African populations has been seen for other diseases." | "This is particularly encouraging because those at greatest risk of Ebola live primarily in Africa and diminished vaccine protection in African populations has been seen for other diseases." |
According to the study some 57% of people in Uganda who received the Ebola vaccine alone developed antibodies against Ebola in their blood. | According to the study some 57% of people in Uganda who received the Ebola vaccine alone developed antibodies against Ebola in their blood. |
Dr Sridhar of the University of Oxford, commenting on the research, said the data provided insights into Ebola vaccine development. | |
Vaccines currently being tested against Ebola are made in a different way to the NIH one. |
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