Closely resembling viruses, but devoid of viral genetic material they are non-infectious. In this case the nanoparticles in question were virus-like particles (VLPs). Scientists from the UK and France have employed a self-assembling protein-based nanoparticle to create a vaccine for Chikungunya, a RNA virus, for which currently there is no specific antiviral drug treatment or commercially available vaccine. Furthermore, climate and environmental changes are also allowing infectious diseases and their hosts to spread further and quicker than ever before. The most devastating epidemics are usually seen in less developed areas of the world, where the infrastructure to deal and contain the pathogen is not available. Today, vaccination programmes are crucial for the control of infectious diseases across the globe, and whilst many diseases have been almost eradicated we have seen the devastating results when those such as Ebola or Zika have remained unchallenged. Vaccines are a crucial tool in infectious disease control. He inoculated a 13 year-old-boy with vaccinia virus (cowpox), and demonstrated immunity to smallpox, two years later the small pox vaccine was developed. The small pox vaccine was the first successful vaccine to be developed by Edward Jenner in 1796. In a major advance in vaccine technology, the vaccine can be stored without refrigeration. A synthetic vaccine has been created for Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus.
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