Uganda has initiated the first-ever trial for a vaccine against the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus following an outbreak declared last week. At least one person has died, and two others have been infected.
The trial began with the first participant—currently in isolation—receiving a vaccination dose Monday. The initiative is considered groundbreaking because no approved vaccine for the Sudan strain exists. Conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization, the trial aims to vaccinate 40 individuals who were in contact with the first victim; Uganda has identified 234 contacts to monitor. If proven effective, the vaccine could help protect communities against future outbreaks of the Sudan Ebola virus. See the history of Ebola outbreaks here.
The strain is one of four Ebola viruses that give rise to Ebola virus disease, a hemorrhagic fever transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids, with an average 50% fatality rate. See what makes Ebola so dangerous here (w/video).
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