The city of Dourados in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, has commenced the nation’s inaugural mass vaccination against dengue, targeting approximately 150,000 residents aged 4 to 59. Utilizing the recently approved vaccine QDENGA from Japanese drugmaker Takeda, the initiative received its first batch of 90,000 doses as part of a collaboration with the Japanese laboratory. The vaccination schedule involves a second dose three months later. Dengue, transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, can have mild to severe forms, with symptoms including muscle weakness, vomiting, and diarrhea. Brazil, experiencing a surge in dengue cases, plans to incorporate Takeda’s vaccine into the national vaccination program, initially focusing on priority groups and regions due to limited supply. Additional doses are expected between February and November.
Dourados initiates Brazil’s first mass dengue vaccination with Takeda’s QDENGA.
