Doctors Without Borders Launches Ebola Vaccine Study in DRC

 The international organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has begun a study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to assess the effectiveness of the Ervebo vaccine against Ebola fever caused by the Bundibugyo virus, the organization announced in a press release on September 19.

"MSF ... is launching a vaccine study called Bravo. This important study will involve long-term monitoring of frontline epidemic response workers to assess the effectiveness of the Ervebo vaccine," the press release stated.

The Bravo study began on September 19 in Bunia and will last from nine to 12 months. It will involve 20,000 workers engaged in the Ebola response in Ituri and North Kivu provinces.

According to MSF, Ervebo was developed against the Zaire strain of the virus. There is currently no vaccine or drug specifically designed to combat the Bundibugyo virus.

"Although Ervebo was not originally developed to protect against Bundibugyo, preliminary data suggest it may provide a certain degree of protection against the virus," said MSF epidemiologist Guigui Manangama.

The study is being conducted jointly with the DRC Ministry of Health, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the DRC National Institute of Biomedical Research, and other partners.

In August, DRC Minister of Health Samuel Roger Kamba received the first batch of Ervebo vaccines at N'djili International Airport. The drug arrived in the DRC from Germany via Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Belgium.

Ebola Outbreak in Africa

Ebola is a severe, acute viral disease with a high fatality rate. Transmission occurs through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected individuals, as well as with contaminated surfaces and materials.