On January 30, an outbreak of the Sudan species of Ebola virus was confirmed in Uganda. A randomized trial of a candidate vaccine was quickly initiated by the World Health Organization, Uganda’s Ministry of Health, and other partners to assess its efficacy. While an Ebola vaccine to protect against the Zaire strain of Ebola is available, no vaccine is currently approved for use against the Sudan strain.
The candidate vaccine is a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV). The study will determine whether the vaccine prevents disease while also monitoring for any potential adverse effects. The trial is designed to use ring vaccination in which all contacts, and their contacts (i.e., contacts of contacts), of a case of Ebola are vaccinated.
The trial was launched within four days of the confirmation of the outbreak. This short timeline is previously unheard of and was the result of research preparedness and planning dating back to 2022. When the last outbreak of Ebola occurred in Uganda, teams were trained to be ready for study launch with the next outbreak. For the current study, vaccine was donated by IAVI, and several international partners provided financial support.
Results from this trial will influence future Ebola vaccine recommendations, including the effectiveness of the ring vaccination model and other public health protocols and policies that can reduce the impact of Ebola during outbreaks.
On January 30, an outbreak of the Sudan species of Ebola virus was confirmed in Uganda. A randomized trial of a candidate vaccine was quickly initiated by the World Health Organization, Uganda’s Ministry of Health, and other partners to assess its efficacy. While an Ebola vaccine to protect against the Zaire strain of Ebola is available, no vaccine is currently approved for use against the Sudan strain.
The candidate vaccine is a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV). The study will determine whether the vaccine prevents disease while also monitoring for any potential adverse effects. The trial is designed to use ring vaccination in which all contacts, and their contacts (i.e., contacts of contacts), of a case of Ebola are vaccinated.
The trial was launched within four days of the confirmation of the outbreak. This short timeline is previously unheard of and was the result of research preparedness and planning dating back to 2022. When the last outbreak of Ebola occurred in Uganda, teams were trained to be ready for study launch with the next outbreak. For the current study, vaccine was donated by IAVI, and several international partners provided financial support.
Results from this trial will influence future Ebola vaccine recommendations, including the effectiveness of the ring vaccination model and other public health protocols and policies that can reduce the impact of Ebola during outbreaks.