Brazil suspends Butantan dengue vaccine after two deaths and 42 serious cases
The Brazilian Ministry of Health announced a temporary suspension of the Butantan‑DV dengue vaccine on 8 June following reports of 42 severe adverse events among roughly 500,000 administered doses. Three patients required hospitalization and two deaths are under investigation, but no causal link to the vaccine has been confirmed. The vaccine, approved in late 2025 and shown in trials to be about 65 % effective overall and over 80 % against severe dengue, had been given to health‑care workers and adults aged 15‑59 in pilot municipalities Botucatu (SP), Maranguape (CE), Nova Lima (MG) and the Araguaína region (TO).
The suspension is a precautionary measure while the Ministry, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), the Instituto Butantan and expert panels review the cases. People vaccinated in the past 21 days are advised to monitor for fever, intense abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding, dizziness, excessive drowsiness or dehydration and seek medical care promptly. The decision does not affect the use of the other dengue vaccine, Qdenga, which remains available under the public health program.