Dengue virus vaccine studies in Puerto Rico: a review

This review summarizes part of the work performed at the Virology Laboratories (Department of Microbiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine) with live attenuated dengue virus vaccines obtained from the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Vaccines were tested for their respective immunogenicity and attenuation in rhesus monkeys (Maccaca mulatta) and in mosquitoes (Toxorynchites amboinensis), respectively. This experimental model revealed that out of 6 vaccines tested, only two (DEN-2/S-1 and DEN-4 strain 341750) should be further evaluated for safety and immunogenicity. Further studies are required to develop an effective vaccine to prevent dengue fever and its hemorrhagic manifestations.