The University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India (SII) have started the world's first human trial of a vaccine developed to provide protection against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. This is an important step as there is currently no approved vaccine for this particular strain.

The vaccine, called ChAdOx1 BDBV, has been developed by the Oxford Vaccine Group with support from global health partners. The first Phase I trial will test whether the vaccine is safe and whether it can produce a strong immune response in healthy volunteers.

The trial began just 57 days after the latest Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak was declared, which highlights the pace of research. The Serum Institute of India, one of the world's largest vaccine manufacturers, has produced the trial doses and is also preparing to manufacture larger quantities if the vaccine proves successful.

Researchers hope this early work will lead to a vaccine that can be used during future outbreaksOxford Vaccine Group said, "The ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine was developed by scientists at the University of Oxford's Oxford Vaccine Group and Pandemic Sciences Institute and uses the same viral vector platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which is estimated to have saved over six million lives during its first year of use."

Why Is This Vaccine ImportantEbola is a viral disease that can spread through direct contact with the body fluids of an infected person. It often causes fever, weakness, vomiting, bleeding and, in severe cases, death.

While vaccines are available for the Zaire strain of Ebola, there is no approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain. This has made the current outbreak in parts of Africa a major public health concern.

Source:Ndtv