OU Researchers Seek West Nile Virus Vaccine

The latest in the fight against the West Nile Virus could lead to a vaccine, and the research is being led by Oklahomans.

It still has a long way to go, but early tests look promising. 

Researchers at the OU Health Sciences Center are now able to isolate strains of the West Nile Virus. They are using a chemical, combined with a wavelength of light - to inactivate the virus, making it harmless.

That could lead to a vaccine.

"The way that this drug interacts with the virus and in the presence of light, it kills the virus," said Dr. Robert Floyd, OU Health Sciences Center.

Another West Nile Virus vaccine is already in clinical trials, but OU researchers say they hope to make one that is cheaper, and more effective.