The Butantan Institute published, this Wednesday (31/1), the study that indicates an overall effectiveness of 79.6% of the Brazilian vaccine against dengue. Being developed 10 years ago, the vaccine has similar efficiency to Qdenga, which will be distributed by the Unified Health System (SUS).
The research was published in the scientific journal New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), one of the most prestigious in the world. The Butantan vaccine is a single dose, works against all serotypes, and around 16 thousand Brazilians have been monitored for three years to verify its effectiveness against dengue.
According to the study, the vaccine was 89.2% effective in people who had already had dengue before the start of the research, and 73.6% in those who had never been infected. During the monitoring period, only dengue serotypes 1 and 2 were circulating in Brazil — therefore, there is only data on both. Efficacies of 89.5% and 69.6%, respectively, were recorded.
Vaccine effective in all groups
In children aged 2 to 6 years, the effectiveness was 80.1%. The percentage was 77.8% among young people aged 7 to 17 and 90% among adults aged 18 to 59. The main reactions to the vaccine were considered mild (headache, fatigue and rash at the application site).
The expectation of the São Paulo government is that the testing process for the vaccine will be completed in September and the product will be available in 2025. The formula still needs to be analyzed by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) before being put into circulation. As it contains only one dose, the formula is expected to increase vaccination adherence, in addition to simplifying distribution logistics across the country.
