Previous exposure to dengue is a requirement for the relatively new dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, first licensed outside Europe in 2015. It contains attenuated yellow fever viruses that have been modified to contain dengue virus proteins.16,21

The European Medicines Agency approved the marketing authorisation for EU use in December 2018 “for the prevention of dengue caused by dengue virus serotypes 1, 2, 3 and 4 in people who are between 9 and 45 years old, live in an endemic area and already had a prior dengue virus infection.”20,21

The vaccine is not licensed for previously uninfected people because “there is an increased risk of clinically severe dengue disease leading to hospitalisation when vaccinees are subsequently infected with dengue virus,” said the EMA. Vaccinations should therefore be given only to people who have had a prior dengue virus infection, confirmed by laboratory testing.

People asking about dengue vaccine who do not meet the marketing authorisation criteria are limited to taking protective action against mosquitoes biting.