Dengue Vaccine - Glossary

Aedes aegypti: A mosquito that spreads viral diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika infections.

Clinical Trial: A research study that is carried out to evaluate the safety and efficacy of new medicines in humans before registration and manufacturing. A clinical trial prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions (usually drugs or vaccines) to evaluate the effects on health outcomes and is generally divided into three separate phases.

Immune System: A defense system of the body consisting of the organs, tissues and cells that provides protection against infectious agents and toxins. Organs include the thymus, bone marrow, and lymph nodes.

Recombinant DNA Technology: Also known as genetic engineering, it consists of several molecular techniques that are used to join (recombine) DNA fragments, thereby generating chimeric DNA molecules.

Serotype: A serologically (serum-specific) distinguishable strain of a microorganism.

Vaccine: A medicinal preparation containing harmless forms of microorganisms that cause a particular disease or several diseases. It is usually administered by injection to provide protection (immunity) against the disease(s).

Virus: A group of very minute microorganisms that can only be observed through an electron microscope. These can infect living organisms, including bacteria, plants, animals, and humans thereby causing disease.