Toward a vaccine against Argentine hemorrhagic fever.

A vaccine against Argentine hemorrhagic fever, the "mal de los rastrojos" of the pampas, has been a dream of physicians and scientists involved with the disease since its recognition in the 1950s. Several killed and live immunogens have been produced and tested in pursuit of this goal, none of which has proved suitable for widespread human use. Recently, a new live-attenuated Junin virus vaccine, Candid #1, was developed through a cooperative international effort. Testing conducted to date indicates that this vaccine holds considerable promise.