Have you ever wanted to be part of medical research? Well, now you might have the chance. According to Fox2Now, researchers from Saint Louis University – and, in particular, the Center for Vaccine Development – are now searching for recruits for an upcoming clinical trial. During the trial, researchers will evaluate a vaccine designed to confer protection against yellow fever.
Interested in joining the clinical trial? You can get in touch with the researchers to learn more via [email protected] or 314-977-6333.
Vaccine Research
But, you might be asking, isn’t there already a vaccine against yellow fever? That is correct; a vaccine has been available for over 80 years, with a single dose conferring lifelong protection. However, this vaccine is unsafe for those with egg allergies. Thus, a new option is needed to ensure that those with allergies are also able to receive protection.
Currently, the clinical trial is looking to enroll approximately 570 adults (ages 18-60) at a variety of sites. Altogether, approximately 60 adults will enroll in the trial at the Saint Louis University site. The entire study will last for 5 years.
Yellow Fever
A viral mosquito-borne illness, yellow fever results from arbovirus infection. The illness gets its name from the jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) which occurs in severe infections. Interestingly, not everyone who gets yellow fever gets deadly ill. Some patients are asymptomatic, while others experience flu-like symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue and general malaise
- Back pain
- Headache
Typically, these symptoms appear within the first 3-6 days of infection and last for 3-4 days. However, somewhere between 15-20% of patients progress to a more severe stage of yellow fever. Unfortunately, the illness becomes much more life-threatening in its severe stages, with up to 50% of these cases resulting in death. Signs of more severe yellow fever, beyond jaundice, include:
- Abdominal pain
- Shock
- Bleeding from the eyes, nose, and mouth
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Nausea and vomiting
- High fever
- Dark urine
