Dengue Vaccine Initiative

Dengue, also known as breakbone fever, is a painful and sometimes fatal viral disease characterized by headache, skin rash and debilitating muscle and joint pains. In some cases, it can lead to circulatory failure, shock, coma and death. Population growth, urbanization and rapid mass transportation have resulted in an explosive increase in dengue cases – from 1.2 million in 1998 to as many as 50 million annual cases today – and contributed to an ever growing number of countries and people at risk of infection. Dengue is now endemic in over 120 countries across the globe, and is the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease.

Sabin, as a member of the Dengue Vaccine Initiative, is advocating for new dengue vaccines on the horizon – vaccines represent the best tool in the fight against a disease for which there is no drug for treatment or prevention available. The Dengue Vaccine Initiative (DVI) is a consortium of organizations working to lay the groundwork for dengue vaccine introduction in endemic areas so that, once licensed, vaccines to prevent dengue will be swiftly adopted by countries most in need. The DVI partners include the International Vaccine Institute, the Sabin Vaccine Institute, the World Health Organization, and the International Vaccine Access Center at Johns Hopkins University. Established in 2010, DVI builds on the momentum and capabilities of the Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative (PDVI) and focuses on creating an enabling environment for vaccine introduction and on maintaining a pipeline of vaccine candidates.

Learn more about DVI.