A study has found that dengue vaccinations had prevented infection in an estimated 65% of the cases, and reduced the severity of the disease by 93%.
Please join us on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/bangkokpostlearning
Inoculation against dengue fever urged
Om Jotikasthira
The public must get dengue vaccinations, which work better for those who have already been exposed to the virus, says Assoc Prof Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, president of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society of Thailand.
Dr Tawee said dengue vaccinations, first introduced into private hospitals in Thailand last year, are crucial in curbing sickness and death in the country.
The cost for one injection stands at 2,000 baht for the manufacturer, he said, adding the actual price per injection may differ depending on the hospital.
Dr Tawee said people aged 9-45 are eligible for the vaccinations.
The vaccination process requires three separate injections, each scheduled six months apart.
The injections will increase immunity against all four strains of dengue present in Thailand, he said.
Dr Tawee said those who have had all three injections have shown significant improvements in their immunity against dengue, citing a study conducted on 30,000 people vaccinated with Dengvaxia, the first registered dengue vaccine, over the course of six years.
The study, according to Dr Tawee, found the vaccines had prevented infection in an estimated 65% of the cases, and reduced the severity of the disease by 93%.
The vaccines also proved to be 80% effective in reducing the need for dengue patients to be hospitalised, he said.
According to the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, there were over 29,000 reported dengue cases in Thailand from Jan 1 to Aug 16.
The faculty also reported that 24 deaths from dengue occurred in those aged 15 and above, with 17 deaths registered among those younger than 15. In 2015, dengue fever claimed 141 lives in Thailand, with more than 142,000 people being infected.
The leading causes of death include a delay in seeking medical attention, previous health complications, and taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs without a prescription.
Dean of the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Assoc Prof Pratap Singhasivanon, said that while the number of deaths from dengue has decreased due to medical advances, the number of dengue patients is still increasing, so a better response is still needed. He said 75% of dengue cases are asymptomatic.
