Qdenga: find out everything about the new dengue vaccine

Dengue is a disease transmitted to humans through mosquito bites Aedes aegypti. The first report of the disease appeared in 1943 in Nagasaki, Japan. Since then, it has become a constant public health concern. In view of this, the announcement of the arrival of Qdenga, a vaccine against dengue, in Brazil is a great motivation for promoting social well-being.

The evolution of dengue occurred due to a series of factors. From the lack of basic sanitation, the variability of rainfall, the accumulation of garbage and other situations that create environments with stagnant water that are completely conducive to the proliferation of mosquitoes. 

In order to reduce the negative impacts of virus transmission and the proliferation of these disease vectors, a lot of awareness and urgent measures are needed. After all, dengue cases in Brazil have increased and the state of Rio de Janeiro recently declared a state of emergency. See more details on this subject in the topics below and understand how to get immunized.

Has the dengue vaccine been approved?

Yes! A QDENGA® is the name of the immunizer created to protect the population against dengue. It was developed by the pharmaceutical company Takeda and generates action to combat the four types of disease viruses: DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4. 

Qdenga was approved by Anvisa in March 2023 and Brazil made history by being the first country to offer the vaccine in the universal public system.

For now, the supply of doses is still restricted and the entire operation will be managed by the Unified Health System (SUS). Therefore, after the three-month interval, people will be able to take the second one. According to the manufacturer, distribution will occur as follows:

• February: 460 thousand doses; 
• March: 470 thousand doses; 
• May: 1,65 million doses; 
• August: 1,65 million doses; 
• September: 431 thousand doses; 
• November: 421 thousand doses.

Vaccination in the public network will be managed in 521 selected municipalities. The pharmaceutical company Takeda also says that 100 million doses of the vaccine will be supplied per year until 2030. 

It is worth remembering that the vaccine only protects against dengue, and other arboviruses such as Zika and Chikungunya are not covered by the vaccine.

How are dengue cases in Brazil?

According to data from the Ministry of Health, deaths from dengue increased by 140% in one week. In relation to cases in 2022, the growth in 2023 was 15,8% and the epidemiological scenario tends to become even more difficult.

After all, now in 2024, the Ministry of Health registered a record 112.349 cases in Minas Gerais. The state also leads the highest number of deaths from the disease so far, with a total of 7 deaths. Sudden climate changes and increased rainfall also favor this scenario for the spread of the disease. 

Currently, 4 states and the Federal District have declared an emergency. In addition to Minas Gerais, Acre and Goiás issued a statement in the face of this imminent threat to public safety and health. 

On the 05th of this month it was Rio de Janeiro's turn to make such a sign for the country. In this case, all that remains is for government agencies and bodies to mobilize resources and adopt security measures to create responses to guarantee the well-being and assistance of all. 

Who can take Qdenga?

The vaccine will be administered subcutaneously and is aimed at people aged 4 to 60 years. Studies have not yet proven the effectiveness of the vaccine for babies and here in Brazil it will not yet be applied to people aged 60+. However, as soon as there are positive responses and advances in studies, other audiences may receive immunization.

Furthermore, in relation to contraindications, pregnant and breastfeeding women cannot take Qdenga either in the public or private network. In the same way as people who are on treatments with high doses of corticosteroids, symptomatic or asymptomatic HIV infected or who are hypersensitive to any active ingredient in the vaccine.

In any case, it is interesting to pay attention to updates on your city's official communication channels to have more information about the start of vaccination and the calendar that will still be released by the Ministry of Health.

How to get the dengue vaccine through SUS?

As soon as Qdenga doses begin to arrive, the Ministry of Health will organize a vaccination campaign against dengue. However, it is necessary to remember that in this first phase of distribution, the application priority will be for children and adolescents between 10 and 14 years old. After all, the majority of cases are in this age group. 

According to data provided by the Brazilian Society of Immunizations (SBim), Qdenga demonstrated efficacy in 69,8% of cases against DENV-1, 95,1% against DENV-2 and 48,9% against DENV- 3. Therefore, if you know children of this age, refer them to the health unit in your neighborhood and respect the 90-day interval between each dose and the next.

Is it possible to get the dengue vaccine through the private network?

The pharmaceutical company Takeda announced that at this first moment it will prioritize requests from the Ministry of Health for the application of the immunizer by the SUS. However, this does not mean that people will not be able to use the private network to access the Qdenga vaccine. 

In short, the supply of the vaccine in the private network will be limited. According to data from ABCVAC, between July 2023 and January 2024, 13.290 doses of the vaccine were administered in private clinics in our country. 

Recently, the availability of the vaccine on the private network ran out and ABCVAC itself requested quick measures for Takeda to resume distribution. This way, private companies will be able to guarantee adequate supply and service to the public who prefer this alternative. Generally, administering the vaccine in the private sector costs R$363,00.

Does Qdenga offer protection against Zika and Chikungunya?

In short, this immunizer exclusively covers cases of dengue. Therefore, the individual will not be protected from other arboviruses.

What are the symptoms of dengue?

In any case, if you experience any of the symptoms below, seek medical advice as soon as possible!

• Red spots on the body; 
• High fever (above 38°C);
• Pain behind the eyes, in the joints and/or body;
• Malaise;
• Headache;
• High pressure;
• Diarrhea;
• Cold extremities;
• Decrease in urine;
• Lack of appetite.

How to protect yourself against dengue?

Every day you can reduce the risk of catching the disease by wearing clothes that don't leave your skin too exposed. For example, sweater, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, as well as wearing socks to protect the lower part of the body. 

It is possible to reduce the risk of Aedes aegypti entering your home by installing protective screens on doors and windows. If it is very hot and you want to keep the environment ventilated, use repellents. The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) recommends the following options:

• Icaridin
• IR3535
• DEET

If you have a very busy routine and full of commitments, use the first option, which offers ten hours of protection. The others are also effective, but only last two hours. In addition to this, keep your entire house, balcony and yard clean without the presence of standing water, which can be a great breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Furthermore, help eliminate dengue breeding sites. To do this, remove containers and objects that can accumulate water from open spaces, keep pool water well treated, properly cover water containers and clean drains, gutters and other places where stagnant water accumulates. Additionally, avoid being near flooded areas, forests and places where a large number of mosquitoes are concentrated.

Vaccination against dengue has arrived to bring comfort and reduce the damage caused by mosquito proliferation. Pay attention to announcements from the Ministry of Health and use the SUS to take Qdenga and protect yourself!

Help more people to become aware of the seriousness of the disease! Share the link to this article on your social networks right now.

See too!

https://www.showmetech.com.br/governo-lanca-programa-desenrola-brasil/

Sources: Agency Brazil, G1, Power360

reviewed by Glaucon Vital in 7 / 2 / 24.