Is there a vaccine available for WNv?
A. No. Currently there is no vaccine for West Nile Virus. Peptide Therapeutics Group announced in August of 2000 that it had been awarded a Fast-Track Small Business Innovative Research grant by the US National Institutes of Health to develop a new vaccine to prevent West Nile virus disease. Dr. Thomas Monath, Vice President Research & Medical Affairs of Peptide, said: “The advantages of ChimeriVax vaccines include their high safety profile, ability to induce protection within a few days after a single dose, and long-lasting immunity without the need for booster doses. A ChimeriVax West Nile vaccine is therefore ideally suited for use in an impending epidemic, where rapid immunization is required.”86 It is not known how long it will take to develop a vaccine. Q. Is there a treatment for WNv? A. Currently, there’s no treatment that will cure the disease. Doctors may recommend remedies to cope with the symptoms of mild cases. Severe cases of West Nile virus may require hospitalization, a
