Brazil, U.S. Reach Agreement on Production of Zika Vaccine

Brazil and a U.S. research hospital in Texas have signed an agreement regarding the production of a Zika vaccine, Brazil's health minister Marcelo Castro announced Thursday.

Castro stated that Brazil will be investing $1.9 million for a joint research project between the University of Texas Medical Branch and the Evandro Chagas Institute in Belem. Both facilities specialize in viruses that are transmitted by mosquitos. The goal of the project is to get a vaccine reading for clinical testing within 12 months. A vaccine that would become widely available could take years.

Castro added that Brazil's Health Ministry has also created partnerships with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and aims to work with GlaxoSmithKline in developing a vaccine for Zika.

"This isn't just Brazil's concern; it's the world's concern," Castro said.

The mosquito-borne virus has hit Brazil the hardest over these past few months. Although the virus is mild, officials have noticed a link between the virus and a birth defect called microcephaly. This link has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the Zika virus a public health emergency. There is also growing evidence that the virus can lead to Guillain-Barré syndrome.

The WHO also expects the virus to spread throughout the Americas once the weather gets warmer. The experts stated that only Canada and Chile would not be affected by the virus.

The CDC also issued safe travel guidelines particularly for pregnant women. So far, 26 countries and territories have confirmed cases of Zika.

The Zika virus causes symptoms that include a mild fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis. There is no treatment or vaccine for it.