Imported fever: Russian vaccine against chikungunya virus is ready for testing

A genetically engineered vaccine against chikungunya fever has been created in the Gamaleya Center. The same technology platform was used for it as for Sputnik V, Alexander Gintsburg, director of the organization, told Izvestia. Virologists say it is necessary to continue research on this drug — an epidemic is impossible in the Russian Federation, but it makes sense to vaccinate travelers and send them to countries with a high epidemic threat. For more information, see the Izvestia article.

Chikungunya fever vaccine without live virus

The new drug is not intended for mass vaccination of the Russian population, but for those who often travel to areas endemic to this disease, Alexander Gintsburg, director of the N.F. Gamalei National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Ministry of Health, told Izvestia. According to him, the development has passed the stages of scientific research, and now there is a question of its preclinical and clinical studies.

— We need to set some time limits. Research has been done, but there is a subtle point: it is impossible to put epidemiological experience into studying the protective properties of the vaccine, that is, how well it will protect, because as such there is no incidence in our country. It is necessary to understand that it is the experts who will accept the test results of this drug who will advise and offer this epidemiological experience. For example, there was an experience with a vaccine for the prevention of Ebola (EpiVacAbola — approx. Izvestia). Scientists go to Africa and conduct an appropriate epidemiological study there for two years. Money is allocated for this. I don't know what will happen in this case. It all depends on how the third phase of the vaccine trial is organized," the scientist noted.

According to experts, the world's first commercial vaccine was approved in 2023 for adults at risk. However, on August 22, 2025, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended her license. This decision was made amid reports of serious side effects.

According to Alexander Ginburg, the developed domestic vaccine does not contain a live virus, in fact, it was created on the same technological platform as Sputnik V using genetically engineered adenoviruses. Earlier, the scientist told the media that the center's staff had applied for this drug three years ago, but then the Ministry of Health rejected it. However, according to him, research needs to be continued so that people visiting endemic regions have the opportunity to get vaccinated.

A mosquito has arrived: deadly chikungunya fever has been registered in Russia

Doctors reassured that the disease is not transmitted from person to person.

On August 29, 2025, Rospotrebnadzor announced that the first imported case of chikungunya fever was detected in the Russian Federation this year. Earlier, the service had stated the risks of importing fever from other countries, so the agency's specialists were prepared for this situation.

— The patient flew to Moscow from Sri Lanka, where he rested for 10 days. The day after arrival, he sought medical help and was hospitalized in the infectious diseases department with suspected dengue fever, but the results of a PCR test at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor showed a positive result for the chikungunya virus. The material was also sent to the SSC Vector of Rospotrebnadzor to confirm the diagnosis," the agency said in a statement.

The patient is in a moderate condition.

At the moment, the number of fever-carrying mosquitoes in Russia does not pose an epidemiological danger, the service said. To identify citizens with signs of infectious diseases arriving from countries with an unfavorable epidemic situation, the Perimeter system operates at border checkpoints. It helps to analyze epidemic risks.

What is the danger of chikungunya fever?

— This fever is not transmitted from person to person and poses no risk. It is good that we have a system for analyzing epidemiological risks. And infectious disease specialists are well aware that tourists from Southeast Asia can bring this fever this season, so nothing terrible happens," Mikhail Bolkov, a researcher at the Institute for the Study of Aging at the Russian State Scientific and Clinical Center of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Russian Ministry of Health, told Izvestia.

The risk is low for the population — transmission requires the bite of a local mosquito carrier during a short "virus transmission" of the patient, said Albert Rizvanov, head of the Center for Excellence "Personalized Medicine" at Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University.

— Local transmission is theoretically possible only in the warm season where invasive Aedes mosquitoes are found (primarily on the Black Sea coast and in the south), but there are no prerequisites for a widespread epidemic in the Russian Federation today. The main task now is to prevent the bites of an infected person by local mosquitoes and prevent them from multiplying. For the population, this means repellents, nets and fumigators, closed clothing during the day (it is at this time that Aedes are active), and the elimination of standing water in yards and cottages," he told Izvestia.

It is necessary to continue research on the domestic vaccine, but with the priority of platform safety (vector or mRNA vaccines) and with targeted use for high-risk groups, for example, for doctors and those who make long trips to endemic regions, the scientist emphasized.

At the same time, he noted that the basis for fever prevention is personal protection from bites and mosquito control.