Vaccine News

The World Health Organization recently reported that measles outbreaks have been reported in 103 countries in the last five years. According to an updated travel advisory, outbreaks have expanded in 2024.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reissued a Global Level 1 Travel Health Advisory on October 18, 2024, that lists 56 countries impacted by measles outbreaks.

The CDC says international travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks before departure or have not had measles in the past and travel internationally.

Even in the United States, measles outbreaks have been reported this year in Chicago, Oregon, and New York City.

As of October 17, 2024, a total 269 measles cases were reported by 32 U.S. jurisdictions.

Measles vaccines are generally available at health clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.

If you plan to travel, you may need to be vaccinated against some diseases in other parts of the world. Some vaccines must be given well in advance to allow your body to develop immunity.

For some vaccines to become protective, several doses spread over several weeks or months.

According to the U.K. travel office on October 22, 2024, prospective international travelers should visit a G.P. or a private travel clinic at least 6 to 8 weeks before traveling bread in 2024.

In the U.K., the NHS routine immunization schedule lists vaccines that protect people against multiple diseases but does not cover all infectious diseases found overseas.

Furthermore, some countries require proof of vaccination (meningitis, polio, or yellow fever), which must be documented on an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) before entering or leaving a country.

Even if an ICVP is not required, the U.K. recommends keeping a record of the vaccinations you have had with you, such as chikungunya, dengue, and measles.

In the United States, the CDC's travel advice website offers similar advice.

Since the last World Health Organization (WHO) report, new cholera outbreaks have been reported in Niger and Thailand, pushing the total number of affected countries in 2024 to 30.

As of the end of September 2024, a cumulative total of 439,724 cholera cases and 3,432 deaths were reported across five WHO regions.

Although the number of cases is lower than last year, the 126% spike in deaths is deeply concerning, says the WHO.

Unfortunately, the WHO has reported that as of October 14, 2024, the global stockpile of Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) is depleted, with no remaining doses available.

However, in the United States, travel vaccine clinics and pharmacies have confirmed supplies of OCVs.

The steady progress towards a polio-free world has been successful for over three and a half decades. According to a recent announcement, the achievement of this goal has been delayed.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) announced on October 17, 2024, that billions of children have been protected with lifesaving immunizations. More than 20 million people are walking who would otherwise have been paralyzed by this dreadful disease.

The polio program is now concentrated in some of the most complicated and fragile settings to deliver essential healthcare.

Recognizing these challenges, the GPEI’s Polio Oversight Board decided in July 2024 to extend the timelines needed to achieve polio eradication to the end of 2027 for wild poliovirus.

And the end of 2029 for type 2 variant poliovirus.

The Board's decision was informed by critical analysis and expert consultations, and extended timelines require additional financial resources to support ongoing eradication activities. 

These shifts are being driven by partners' expertise and a program-wide commitment to double down on the toughest but most critical challenges standing between us and a future without polio, wrote the GPEI.

On October 17, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported poliovirus outbreaks that had caused 672 confirmed polio cases over the past year and a half.

The CDC also reissued a Global Travel Health Notice in August 2024 to alert international travelers, confirming 37 countries report poliovirus detections. People are encouraged to speak with a travel vaccine expert at least one month before visiting any of these countries about immunization options.

When planning a European trip next year, many say the best time to visit Mediterranean Sea beaches is in the spring, when the weather is mild and before the summer crowds arrive.

Another consideration is when mosquitos transmit viruses such as dengue to vacationers.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the recent three-month dengue outbreak rate measurably increased from July to September 2024.

As of October 2024, the ECDC reported locally acquired dengue cases in France, Italy, and Spain in 2024.

The Italian National Public Health Authority reported 194 locally acquired dengue cases in 2024. In 2023, 82 locally acquired dengue cases were reported.

In 2024, France reported 80 locally transmitted dengue fever cases and over 3,500 imported cases. In 2023, it reported nine dengue outbreaks that produced 45 autochthonous infections.

Spain reported eight locally acquired dengue cases in the Camp de Tarragona area of the Catalonia region in 2024. Last year, the Catalonia region reported just three local cases.

While unavailable in the United States, a second-generation dengue vaccine has been authorized in Europe since late 2022. Takeda's QDENGA vaccine remains approved in 2024 for use regardless of previous dengue exposure and without pre-vaccination testing.

The ECDC, U.S. CDC, and the WHO encourage travelers to speak with a travel vaccine expert about options to protect themselves from disease one month before departure.

Varicella zoster virus (VZV), one of 8 herpesviruses known to infect humans, “is a really sneaky virus,” said neurovirologist Maria Nagel, M.D., in an article posted by the JAMA Network on October 18, 2024.

Herpes Zoster, known as shingles, has been a vaccine-preventable disease for several years.

“Our aging population is growing, and it’s really concerning that 1 in 9 people over 65 have Alzheimer’s,” Nagel added. “It’s critical that we figure out what to do about this disease.”

Could the infection increase people's risk for dementia? Conversely, could shingles vaccination protect against dementia? And what about adult vaccines against other infections?

The unedited article - Researchers Are Exploring the Role of Shingles—and a Protective Role of Shingles Vaccine—in Dementia, is posted at this JAMA link.

As of October 19, 2024, various approved shingles vaccines are offered worldwide.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health has been leading critical malaria control interventions, including introducing the R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine as part of the country’s comprehensive strategy to combat the disease.

“The arrival of (800,000) malaria vaccines is a monumental step in our national efforts to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality,” said Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, in a press release on October 17, 2024.

This announcement is critical to Nigerians.

According to the 2023 World Malaria Report, nearly 200,000 deaths from malaria occurred in Nigeria. In some regions, such as Kebbi State, this malaria prevalence rate is as high as 49%.

The malaria vaccine, which requires four doses, will be administered to children under one year of age as part of Nigeria’s Routine Immunization schedule. The first phase of the rollout will begin in Kebbi and Bayelsa States in November 2024.

On October 2, 2023, the World Health Organization recommended R21/Matrix-M to prevent malaria in children. Since then, it has been offered in various African countries.

The U.S. CDC says malaria vaccines reduce uncomplicated malaria by ~40%, severe malaria by ~30%, and all-cause mortality by 13%.

Neither approved malaria vaccine is available in the United States, but the CDC recommends that travelers going to Nigeria take prescription medicine to prevent malaria.

Additionally, the CDC has issued travel advisories for Nigeria's yellow fever, measles, polio, and diphtheria outbreaks.