U.S. Lab Working To Develop Zika Vaccine

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter 

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Amid a growing number of cases of travel-related Zika virus continues to grow in the U.S., a lab is spearheading the research to find a vaccine.

Scientists at the Texas lab have studied the virus for decades and are now working with the Brazilian government.

Doctor Robert Tesh of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has known about the virus since the 1960's.

"I guess until the virus really got to Brazil and there was a lot of cases, nobody was really interested in Zika," said Tesh.  "And now times have changed and we realize how much we don't know."

Zika may be linked to the birth defect microcephaly. The condition is marked by abnormally small heads in babies due to stunted brain growth.

Brazil is ground zero in the fight against  Zika. It's where Doctor Shannan Rossi recently traveled and saw firsthand the devastating effects of the virus.

"It's heartbreaking and it's critical I think," said Dr. Rossi.

The University of Texas medical branch is home to one of the world's largest collection of viruses, nearly 7,000 samples are stored at the facility with the focus now on Zika.

Rossi and a team of scientists are working on a quick test to detect the virus in humans, and eventually develop a vaccine.

"Every single day that people like me and my colleagues are on the bench, we're one step closer to the vaccine," said Rossi.

The National Institutes of Health says there could be a Zika vaccine by the end of 2017.