The university's Center for Vaccine Development and six other U.S. centers will look at the possibilities if the new vaccine, supplied by Danish manufacturer, Bavarian Nordic, would be as effective as a vaccine used in previous global smallpox eradication efforts.
The study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, has expressed its concern over the use of stored smallpox virus that can be used in a bioterrorist attack. Scientists would now study how long does the vaccine takes to start protecting exposed citizens.
AP quotes Dr. Sharon Frey, the study's principal investigator as saying, "If there was a release of smallpox today, and we vaccinated today, how rapid would the immune response have to be in order to prevent the person from developing the disease?"
"Historically, it was believed that if people were vaccinated within three to four days of exposure they could be protected from the disease," she added.
The test smallpox vaccine, Imvamune not only has fewer side effects than Dryvaxbut is also a weakened form of the vaccinia virus, used to protect against smallpox.
The scientists would study the chances of Imvmune to take takes less time to make antibodies as compared to Dryvax. Also they will see if the antibody response will be at least as good.
The last case of smallpox in the U.S. was 1949; the last case in the world was 1977 in Somalia. The researchers have asked for volunteers from the study who need to be healthy, at least 18 years old and born after 1971.
