The University of Vermont Vaccine Testing Center (VTC) announced it will help develop a vaccine for the Zika Virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the virus to be a global health emergency on February 1.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) lab that developed a dengue vaccine is developing the Zika vaccine.

According to UVM VTC, it along with the Center for Immunization Research and Johns Hopkins University will be  two sites to test the safety and immune response testing of an NIH-developed Zika vaccine for humans.

Due to the potential for a link of Zika infection, pregnant women or those who may become pregnant will be excluded from vaccine testing trials.

UVM VTC faculty Kristen Pierce, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and associate professor, and Sean Diehl, Ph.D., an immunologist and assistant professor of medicine will assist in the vaccine development.