Scientists reach Ebola breakthrough

[Geee]

Washington Examiner:

A new clinical trial has shown that a vaccine for the deadly Ebola virus might be effective and safe, potentially paving the way for the first vaccine for the disease that recently killed more than 10,000 people.

 

The late-stage clinical trial led by the World Health Organization represents a "remarkable scientific and logistical achievement," according to an editorial from the Lancet, the medical journal that published the results Friday.

 

The trial used a technique that involves identifying a newly diagnosed person with Ebola and then tracking down their contacts, according to the Lancet.

 

Researchers were able to find about 7,600 people in Guinea, one of the three West African countries hit hard by Ebola. Sierra Leone and Liberia were the other two.

 

Study subjects were divided into two camps, with 4,123 people getting the vaccine immediately and 3,528 getting a delayed vaccination.

 

In the immediate vaccination group, there were no cases of Ebola at least 10 days after getting treatment, according to the study results. However, in the delayed vaccination group there were 16 cases of Ebola.