The health sector of the southern province of Binh Phuoc is implementing campaigns to fight dengue fever and zika virus-related diseases as the number of dengue cases is high.
Mosquito saliva influences transmission of viruses to a bitten mammalian host. For example, it contains factors that dampen the host immune response and so facilitate infection. A study published inPLOS NTDsreports on a saliva protein with the opposite effect: D7, a protein present inAedes aegyptisaliva, binds to Dengue virus (DENV) and inhibits its transmission to human cells and mice.
The first vaccine marketed to prevent dengue fever could be making people sick, according to a new study. The authors are urging public health officials to consider carefully which individuals to vaccinate, to prevent severe illness.