Uganda fast-tracks vaccine development for Bundibugyo Ebola strain

Ugandan scientists are accelerating vaccine research and development efforts to curb the Bundibugyo strain of the ongoing Ebola outbreak, which is spreading across the country and in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Scientists at the Uganda Virus Research Institute are collaborating with global health organizations and pharmaceutical companies in developing an effective vaccine.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Bundibugyo virus, which currently lacks approved vaccines or specific therapeutics, is one of three ebolavirus species that cause large Ebola outbreaks, alongside the Zaire and Sudan viruses.

Pontiano Kaleebu, director of the Uganda Virus Research Institute, told CGTN (The China Global Television Network) that researchers at the institute are examining whether existing Ebola vaccine options can offer protection for the Bundibugyo virus, and they are also studying whether experimental drugs used to treat other Ebola strains can work against the new strain.

"The health workers got some of these vaccines for Zaire, and if you boost them with another vaccine - let's say the Sudan vaccine [which is] not yet licensed but available - do you broaden the immune response and [make] people protected?" Kaleebu said in a recent interview.

Although uncertainties remain, ongoing clinical trials are designed to provide clearer answers.

Researchers are also exploring options for conducting trials in both Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including the use of antibodies from Ebola survivors.

According to Kaleebu, similar tests were conducted during the West African Ebola outbreak in 2014-2016, and the results were successful.

"We already have individuals who got infected with Zaire, those who got infected with Bundibugyo, those who got infected with Sudan. If you get their antibodies, can they kill the other one, can someone who has antibodies against Zaire, can those antibodies work against Budibugyo? Those lab studies are also being planned," he said.

The WHO says a promising vaccine trial by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative could be available in as little as seven months.

Following a visit to an Ebola isolation unit at a hospital in Uganda's capital Kampala on Monday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the need to accelerate research and development efforts, including work currently underway on monoclonal antibodies and antiviral treatments for Ebola. He noted that investment in vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics remains critical for future outbreak preparedness.

He also reaffirmed WHO's commitment to supporting Uganda's response and emphasized that governments must remain at the center of emergency response efforts.

"There are other support we give - I already told you the emergency medical team, I mean the emergency medical training we started many years ago and many Ugandans were certified, I think I had 148 [of them] - that helps in preparedness and that helps in response," the WHO chief said.

According to the WHO and health authorities in both Uganda and the DRC, most of the 19 confirmed Ebola cases in Uganda are imported from the DRC, where the latest outbreak was declared by its health ministry in mid-May, with the confirmed infections rising to 689 and the death toll reaching 139 as of Friday.

Uganda fast-tracks vaccine development for Bundibugyo Ebola strain

Merchants in Hangzhou, the capital city of east China’s Zhejiang Province, have innovatively added new elements to scented sachets, which are traditionally worn during the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival.

As the festival approaches, shops on the famous Hefang Street, a lively ancient thoroughfare that has been the heart of Hangzhou for centuries, are filled with a dazzling array of cultural products, including sachets. There are traditional zongzi (sticky rice dumpling)-shaped designs, as well as plush toys and traditional Chinese-style pendants that appeal to younger generations.

"For me, a pleasant fragrance is all that matters. Some might have a hint of lavender, which I would prefer," said Wang Yunhan, a local citizen.

Fang Huichuntang, a time-honored traditional Chinese medicine brand, has launched plush-style scented sachets that combine cartoon images with Chinese medicinal herbs and innovative flavors. In the past month, this series accounted for 47 percent of total sachet sales at the street stores.

"We collected hundreds of medicinal herbs, selected those with pleasant aromas, and had the (traditional Chinese medicine) director help us make several formulas based on their efficacy. The resulting powdered formulas will have a more refreshing and pleasant aroma, appealing to consumers," said Gou Lulu, cultural and creative product director of Fang Huichuntang.

Many sachets incorporating traditional cultural elements are also selling well, among them one with Dunhuang-mural-inspired colors is particularly eye-catching.

"We found this color very eye-catching, and at the same time, we looked for photos of the costumes of the flying apsaras in Dunhuang on social media platforms to see if our color design could create a similar effect," said Jiang Lingxia, deputy general manager of Hangzhou Hu Qing Yu Tang, another traditional Chinese medicine brand that launched the new sachet.

In addition to purchasing ready-made products, primary and secondary schools in the city have recently organized hands-on activities, leading students to experience the traditional festival culture through the process of making sachets by hand.

Traditional scented sachets refreshed with creative elements for Dragon Boat Festival