02/26/2026 | Matheus De Lucca | Xataca Brasil

https://www.xataka.com.br/ciencia/dia-historico-para-a-saude-publica-brasileira-mundo-inteiro-tentou-a-vacina-definitiva-e-dose-unica-a-dengue-e-100-nossa-e-ja-esta-rodando-ai 

Eliminating breeding grounds for the Aedes aegypti mosquito remains the main front in the fight against dengue; the vaccine is an innovative technology that complements vector control, not a substitute.

The Ministry of Health took a historic step in the fight against dengue by initiating, in January 2026, a pilot vaccination strategy with Butantan-DV. Unlike all previous solutions, this vaccine is 100% Brazilian and a world first, requiring only one dose to guarantee protection.

But how does Brazil plan to move from laboratories to immunize a population of continental dimensions? The answer involves laboratory cities, cutting-edge biotechnology, and strategic Asian cooperation.

Where science meets the street
Instead of a widespread distribution, the government opted to apply the vaccine in "pilot municipalities" with populations between 100,000 and 200,000 inhabitants and well-structured health networks.

Vaccination began on January 17th in the cities of Maranguape (CE) and Nova Lima (MG). On January 18th, the municipality of Botucatu (SP) also joined the initiative. It is worth remembering that Botucatu already has prior experience, having adopted a similar methodology in evaluating the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The initial target audience focuses on people aged 15 to 59 years. The main objective of this phase is to evaluate the impact of the vaccine on the actual dynamics of disease transmission and to gather the necessary evidence to support its expansion throughout the country.

In the second week of February, the Ministry of Health began vaccinating healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, nursing technicians, and community health workers from Basic Health Units) against dengue fever, with the expectation of protecting 1.2 million frontline workers in the SUS (Brazilian Unified Health System).

In Rio de Janeiro, the Municipal Health Secretariat (SMS) began vaccinating against dengue fever on February 24th, also focusing first on healthcare workers in the Primary Care network.

The Numbers
The Butantan-DV vaccine offers protection against the four existing serotypes of the dengue virus. Data from clinical studies reveal a highly effective biological barrier:

• 74% overall efficacy in preventing the disease.
• 91% reduction in the incidence of severe cases.
• 100% protection against hospitalizations caused by dengue.

The Butantan Institute has already produced an initial batch of 1.3 million doses. Of this amount, 204,100 doses were directed to the three municipalities of the pilot project:

• Botucatu (SP): 80,000 doses.
• Nova Lima (MG): 64,000 doses.
• Maranguape (CE): 60,100 doses.

To ensure that the immunizing agent reaches the entire national territory, the Butantan Institute has established a strategic technology transfer partnership with the Chinese company Wuxi Vaccines. The expectation with this alliance is to expand the vaccine's production capacity by up to 30 times.

The comparison
While Brazil tests its new biological weapon, the Japanese-origin dengue vaccine continues to be offered in the Unified Health System (SUS). The strategy now divides the battlefield into two distinct fronts:

• The Japanese vaccine: Requires a two-dose schedule and remains focused exclusively on children and adolescents aged 10 to 14, already available in more than 5,000 Brazilian municipalities.
• The Butantan-DV vaccine: Is a single dose and acts on the next age group, from 15 to 59 years, which is the maximum limit established by its package insert and regulated by Anvisa.

The context for the introduction of the new vaccine is one of cautious optimism. The year 2025 registered significant drops in disease indicators in Brazil:

• Probable cases of dengue fell by 74%, from 6.5 million in 2024 to 1.7 million in 2025.
• The number of deaths followed the trend with a 72% reduction, totaling 1,700 deaths in 2025 compared to 6,300 in the previous year.

Despite these statistical victories and the introduction of vaccines, the Ministry of Health is categorical: the elimination of breeding grounds for the Aedes aegypti mosquito remains the main front in the fight against the disease. The vaccine is an innovative technology that complements vector control, not a substitute.