Dengue Vaccine Development Challenges

• US and Philippine study identifies envelope dimer epitope (EDE)-like antibodies as key to developing strong dengue immunity.

• EDE-like antibodies explain 42% to 65% of the protective effect of virus-neutralising antibodies and 41% to 75% of E protein-binding antibodies.

• Dengue is a major global health challenge, with half of the world’s population at risk, especially in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

• Developing a universally effective dengue vaccine is challenging due to complex immune mechanisms.

• After exposure to at least two different DENV serotypes, a person develops “secondary immunity.”

• Study on Dengue Outbreak in Cebu revealed the role of EDE-like antibodies in the protective response.

• Higher levels of EDE-like antibodies were consistently associated with lower odds of symptomatic dengue, dengue with warning signs, and dengue requiring hospitalisation.

• EDE-like antibodies had limited protective effects against viral replication, making them less protective against new infections but more protective against severe disease.