Advances in Zika vaccines

Abstract:

Aedes (a genus of mosquitoes) transfers Zika virus (ZIKV) to humans. About two billion people worldwide live in ZIKV-affected areas. The outbreak of ZIKV in Central and South America threats public health worldwide, especially for pregnant women and their fetuses. ZIKV infection has become one of the major causes of neonatal congenital microcephaly and adult Guillain-Barre syndrome. No effective vaccine and treatment are available now against ZIKV infection. The first Zika vaccine is a DNA vaccine which affords complete protection against ZIKV and induces a high level of specific antibody titers. Advantages of DNA vaccines are simple to design and produce, safe for adults and fetuses, and without virulence recovery induced by reproducible vaccines. Some positive vaccines including traditional and emerging ones are in research and some progresses have been achieved. This article reviews the current situation and progress of Zika vaccines.