A novel, gene-based investigational vaccine protected mice and monkeys against Zika virus infection after a single dose, according to a study appearing online in the journal Nature on Feb. 2. The research was conducted by investigators funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), NIAID scientists, and other partners. The candidate vaccine, called ZIKV prM-E mRNA-LNP, uses messenger RNA (mRNA) with which the body produces Zika virus proteins designed to elicit infection-neutralizing antibodies.
Most patients are treated with an 8-week course of topical steroids and re-assessed. The vast majority will be symptom-free following this treatment. 30,31 Patients who remain symptomatic require a repeat of the 8-week prescription. Studies have shown that topical glucocorticoid therapy usually induces symptomatic remission for approximately 4–6 months, but almost never more than 12 months, after which a second course of steroids is generally necessary. 30–32 These data apply to patients not commenced on dietary modification, which should provide a longer period of remission if implemented in addition. 32