- Butantan-DV is a dengue vaccine made in Brazil.
- Anvisa approved it on 26 November.
- It is for people aged 12 to 59 years.
- The vaccine needs only one dose to work.
- One dose can help reach remote Amazon communities.
- Trials in Brazil had 16,000 volunteers over nearly a decade.
- The vaccine showed 74.7% overall and 91.6% severe efficacy.
- More than 1,000,000 doses are ready for distribution.
- It will join the national programme in early 2026.
Difficult words
- vaccine — medicine that helps the body avoid disease
- approved — to say yes to a new medicine
- dose — small amount of medicine for one timedoses
- remote — far away from towns and cities
- Trials — study to test a medicine or vaccine
- volunteers — person who joins a study by choice
- efficacy — how well a medicine or vaccine works
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would you take a vaccine that needs one dose?
- Have you visited a remote area?
Related articles
Turning Water Hyacinth into Biodegradable Sanitary Pads
Researcher Pooja Singh and colleagues used invasive water hyacinth to make eco-friendly sanitary pads. Their project won an Elsevier award in Pune and aims to reduce water and plastic pollution while supporting women in local communities.
Dopamine helps lock in new skills during sleep
A study from the University of Michigan finds that dopamine neurons become active during NREM sleep soon after a person learns a movement. Their activity, together with sleep spindles, strengthens motor memories and improves skills after sleep.
New AI tools for tuberculosis shown at lung health conference
Researchers presented four new AI approaches for detecting and monitoring TB at the Union World Conference on Lung Health in Copenhagen (18–21 November). The tools include breath analysis, cough screening, vulnerability mapping and a chest X‑ray tool for children.
Engineered antibodies could block cytomegalovirus
A research team created changed antibodies that stop human cytomegalovirus from disabling immune responses. Lab tests show the antibodies reduce virus spread, but researchers say more testing is needed before they can be used in people.