Ebola vaccine highly effective, trial confirms

An experimental vaccine created to defend against the deadly Ebola virus has been found to be highly effective, a study has show.

According to a trial conducted in Guinea, one of the West African countries most affected by Ebola, nearly 6,000 people receiving the vaccine, all were free of the virus 10 days later.

The results, published in British medical journal The Lancet, also showed that of in a group of the same size not vaccinated, 23 later developed Ebola.

Dr Kieny, the lead author of the study commented: “While these compelling results come too late for those who lost their lives during West Africa's Ebola epidemic, they show that when the next Ebola outbreak hits, we will not be defenceless.”

Jeremy Farrar, director of British-based medical research institute the Wellcome Trust described the findings as ‘remarkable’. He said: “Had a vaccine been available earlier in the Ebola epidemic, thousands of lives might have been saved.”

"We have to get ahead of the curve and make promising diagnostics, drugs and vaccines for diseases we know could be a threat in the future."

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This story was first published in digitalhealth.net

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