Experimental Ebola vaccine found to be safe for humans after early trials

The researchers also found that high antibodies were present in participants six months after immunisation, indicating its potential to protect people from the deadly virus.

An experimental Ebola vaccine has been found to be safe for humans, according to the results of an early clinical trial. “The results of this trial were positive and very promising,” said May ElSherif from the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology.

This VSV (vesicular stomatitis virus) Ebola vaccine was developed at the Canadian National Microbiology Laboratory of the Public Health Agency of Canada. “All three dose levels of the VSV Ebola vaccine were well tolerated by participants, and no safety concerns were identified,” ElSherif, lead author of the study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), said.

The trial involved 40 healthy people aged 18 to 65 years and looked at the safety of the vaccine and the lowest dose required for an immune response after an injection with one of three doses. Out of the 40 people, 30 participants received the vaccine and 10 received placebo injections. The researchers found that adverse events were mild to moderate, with only three severe reactions, including headache, diarrhoea and fatigue, which were completely resolved. This study shows the importance of further investigation, according to the researchers.

An upcoming study at two sites in Africa, as well as in Montréal and Ottawa in Canada, will test the safety and protection levels of the VSV-Ebola vaccine in HIV-infected adults and adolescents.

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