Typhoid Vaccine Offers 84% Protection Against Typhoid Fever

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine today found a single dose of typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) is safe and 84% effective in protecting against typhoid in Malawi.

These are the first efficacy results from Africa and part of a five-year, multi-country project to accelerate the introduction of TCV, stated a University of Maryland School of Medicine press release.

This study's findings are critical as typhoid is an increasing public health threat across sub-Saharan Africa due to the emergence and spread of multi-drug resistant strains. An estimated 19,000 deaths occur each year in sub-Saharan Africa, which includes Malawi.

The vast majority of these infections occur in school-age and pre-school children.

In 2017, the World Health Organization recommended TCV for children six months of age and older in typhoid endemic settings.

The Typbar TCV vaccine contains polysaccharide of Salmonella typhi Ty2 conjugated to Tetanus Toxoid. Typbar TCV is the only approved vaccine for children and infants less than two years of age.

The ongoing study is being conducted through a partnership between the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health and others. It is part of the Typhoid Vaccine Acceleration Consortium.