A Prototype-Pathogen Approach for the Development of Flavivirus Countermeasures

Flaviviruses are a genus within the Flaviviridae family of positive-strand RNA viruses and are transmitted principally through mosquito and tick vectors. These viruses are responsible for hundreds of millions of human infections worldwide per year that result in a range of illnesses from self-limiting febrile syndromes to severe neurotropic and viscerotropic diseases and, in some cases, death. A vaccine against the prototype flavivirus, yellow fever virus, has been deployed for 85 years and is highly effective. While vaccines against some medically important flaviviruses are available, others have proven challenging to develop. The emergence and spread of flaviviruses, including dengue virus and Zika virus, demonstrate their pandemic potential. This review highlights the gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed to allow for the rapid development of vaccines against emerging flaviviruses in the future.