Data from the Health Department of the Federal District (SES-DF) reveal that in 2025, 61.2% of the target population took the first dose of the dengue vaccine. When analyzing the full course (i.e. two doses of the vaccine), this number drops to 35.8%. Abandoning the second vaccination phase is a cause for concern among infectious disease specialists. With the approval of a single dose of Butantan, we hope that the number of Brazilians fully immunized against the disease will increase significantly.
According to SES-DF, as of October 31 this year, 111,793 first doses of dengue vaccine had been administered, and 65,549 second doses had been administered. The current stock is 20,000 doses of the vaccine, which are manufactured according to the demand calculated by the Ministry of Health.
Some material losses of vaccines have been recorded, due to factors such as temperature, broken vials and labeling problems: 156 doses in 2024, 132 in 2025.
Infectious disease specialist at the Foundation for Teaching and Research in Health Sciences of the State Department of Health in the Federal District (FEPECS), Joana Gonçalves, commented that the growth outlook in adherence to full immunization is positive.
The expert added, “Multiple vaccination – when there is more than one dose or returning to health units – causes the vaccination coverage rate to decrease significantly.”
Joanna also exemplifies the increase in HPV vaccinations, since the introduction of the single dose: “HPV vaccination used to be three doses, and now that it is only one dose, vaccination coverage has increased a lot. It will not be different with dengue,” concludes Gonçalves.
About the single dose vaccine
The Brazilian single-dose dengue vaccine called Butantan-DV is being developed by the Butantan Institute and was approved on Wednesday (26/11) by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa).
There is still no official date for the vaccine to arrive in the Unified Health System (SUS), but Health Minister Alexandre Padilha announced on June 25 of this year that the expectation is that distribution will begin next year.
The next steps for distribution in the common unified system include price authorization to the Chamber of Medicines Market Regulation (CMED), setting the maximum marketing price for the immunization even if it is distributed free of charge by the government; Analysis of the study results, cost-benefit and potential of technological innovation was carried out by the National Committee for Integration of Technologies into the Unified Health System (Conitec) and, finally, integration into the SUS.
The vaccination will target people between the ages of 12 and 59 years. Butantan hopes to increase the age group for applying the vaccine, and has already obtained a license from Anvisa to test the formula on residents aged 60 to 79 years.