The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) approved the dengue vaccine named Qdenga earlier this week. It is a live-attenuated vaccine produced by Takeda GmbH, Germany, and will be available in India from the first half of 2027.
This news is significant due to the high prevalence of dengue, especially in a country like India. The World Health Organisation found that five countries—India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand—are among the 30 most highly endemic countries in the world when it comes to dengue. India recorded 1,21,824 dengue cases last year, according to the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control. “The data doesn’t represent the full picture, because it doesn’t include patients who have not been admitted and sought only OPD treatment,” says Dr Sunil Havannavar, Senior Consultant - Internal Medicine, Manipal Hospital Sarjapur, Bengaluru. It implies a large number of cases go unreported.
Havannavar has noticed an increase in dengue patients this season compared to last year’s monsoon months. He believes the reasons are several, including a significant increase in construction sites with stagnant water as well as intermittent rainfall: “When the rain is continuous, it washes away stagnant water. But when it rains in phases like this year across India, the risk of stagnant water and mosquito breeding increases the chances of contracting dengue.”
With increased risk factors, the need for a dengue vaccine is urgent. Qdenga is administered in two doses with a gap of three months. “Since it’s a live-attenuated vaccine which means a weakened form of the virus is used, there is a chance of developing a mild reaction or a weaker variation of dengue after taking it,” says Dr Aishwarya R, Consultant - Infectious Diseases, Aster RV Hospital, Bengaluru. She adds that the vaccine is built on a genetic 'backbone structure'. In simple terms, it uses a weakened Dengue Serotype 2 virus as the base to present protection against all four dengue strains present in India. Also, it will not disintegrate after entering the body, she adds.
Delivered via subcutaneous injection, the vaccine is approved for individuals aged 4 to 60 years. Havannavar adds, “It is not suitable for pregnant women and those who are heavily immunocompromised. Also, even after taking the vaccine, one could get dengue, but it will be milder. The vaccine is not a mosquito repellent, and you will still have to take necessary precautions to avoid getting bitten, especially during high-risk seasons like the monsoon.”