A new Ebola jab is being given to people living in the West African countries most badly hit by the virus after human trials in unaffected countries proved successful . Scientists hope that immunisation is possible with just one injection after 'highly promising results ' in the first 138 healthy adults who were vaccinated with various doses . The vaccine , developed in Canada , is based on an animal virus called vesicular stomatitis virus ( VSV ) that is combined with a portion of the protein covering of the Ebola virus . Scroll down for video . A new Ebola jab is being given to people living in the West African countries most badly hit by the virus . Pictured : a man washes his hands at a checkpoint in Sierra Leone 's during the recent country-wide lockdown to combat the virus . When administered , it induces an immune response against the Ebola virus . The researchers , whose findings are published in the New England Journal of Medicine , said one jab protects against a disease which has killed more than more than 10,460 people in a year across six countries including Liberia , Guinea , Sierra Leone , Nigeria , the US and Mali . Dr Michael Ramharter , of the Medical Research Unit at Albert Schweitzer Hospital , Lambarene , Gabon , said the Ebola antigen is inserted into the vaccine as a Trojan horse to get the body to develop an immune response against the virus . He said : 'An Ebola glycoprotein from the Ebola strain in Zaire is being inserted into the VSV live vaccine . While VSV only causes mild symptoms in humans , the protein acts as an Ebola antigen and triggers the formation of antibodies against the disease in the immune system . ' Dr Ramharter said these antibodies hide , almost like a 'Trojan horse ' , in the body in order to successfully fight the Ebola virus if the individual becomes infected . Scientists hope that immunisation is possible with just one injection after 'highly promising results ' He added : 'Just one vaccine has conferred one hundred per cent protection against Ebola in the initial trials on primates . ' Dr Ramharter said the first phase I clinical trial is now complete . He said : 'The vaccine response is very reliable , the vaccine itself is safe and its tolerability is acceptable . ' The most significant side effect was found to be temporary joint pain and inflammation reported among a small group of test subjects , particularly in the European centres . In the phase II studies that are now beginning , the vaccine will be used in patients living in the areas currently most badly affected by Ebola , especially Guinea and Sierra Leone , but also in Liberia . The first case of Ebola was reported in West Africa around 15 months ago . According to estimates , around 25,000 people have been infected by the virus - and more than 10,000 of them having died since as a result . The race is on to find ways to prevent and cure the Ebola virus as there are no proven treatments or vaccines to prevent individuals becoming infected . But progress is now being made on an unprecedented scale with trials which would normally take years and decades being fast tracked on a timescale of weeks and months . The aim is to use the lowest dose of vaccine possible that provides protection . Vaccines train the immune systems of healthy people to fight off any future infection . Corporal Anna Cross , 25 , was discharged from London 's Royal Free Hospital after being successfully treated for Ebola with the experimental drug MIL 77 .
Scientists hope immunisation against virus is possible with one injection . Vaccine based on animal virus and the protein covering of Ebola virus . Ebola antigen in vaccine acts as 'Trojan horse ' to create immune response . Ebola has killed more than 10,000 people in 25 across six countries .