“Genome and genetic study of dengue viral infection: from genome to application”
The major obstacle of dengue vaccine development is the cross-reactivity among antibodies against the different DENV serotypes (designed as DENV1-4) that are 67-75% identical at the amino acid level. All four DENV serotypes can cause a large spectrum of disease, from dengue fever to more severe and potentially lethal disease. Strikingly, while a primary infection by one DENV serotype induces a lifelong immunity against re-infection by the same serotype, subsequent infections by heterologous serotypes can increase the risk of developing severe dengue, a phenomenon due to non-neutralizing or sub-neutralizing antibodies and called antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). Thus, a dengue virus vaccine must induce simultaneously protective immunity against the four serotypes. Strikingly, vaccine candidates have focused on induction of serotype specific neutralizing antibodies, with no cross reactivity, to avoid the ADE.
Anavaj Sakuntabhai will discuss a new concept of dengue vaccine development and the possibility to create a single component penta-valent dengue & Zika vaccine that could protect against the four dengue serotypes and ZIKV infection.
Le Dr. Sakhuntabai est spécialiste de la dengue et dirige l’unité de génétique fonctionnelle des maladies infectieuses à l ‘Institut Pasteur. Cette unité étudie les facteurs génétiques de susceptibilité de l’homme aux infections par des microorganismes pathogènes.
La conférence se tiendra à l’ université de Nouvelle Calédonie , bâtiment Sigma, le 24 mai à 13:30 et est ouverte au public.
L’Institut Pasteur de Nouvelle Calédonie est membre du Consortium pour la recherche, l’enseignement supérieur et l’innovation en Nouvelle Calédonie CRESICA https://www.cresica.nc/