Vaccine News

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.

As the 2024-2025 flu season ramps up in the United States, new data reaffirms the protections offered by various influenza vaccines.

The results of the first pragmatic randomized study to evaluate the relative vaccine effectiveness of adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine (aIIV) compared to high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-IIV) for influenza prevention were published today.

The first season's results demonstrated that adjuvanted and high-dose influenza vaccines did not differ in effectiveness against Polymerase Chain Reaction-confirmed influenza with relative vaccine effectiveness of aIIV vs. HD-IIV of 1.5% (95% confidence interval: -8.4 to 10.5) among adults 65 years of age and older.

In addition, there was no difference in effectiveness between aIIV and HD-IIV for preventing hospitalization or emergency department visits for confirmed influenza and hospitalization for all-cause community-acquired pneumonia. 

The data was presented during an oral presentation this week at the IDWeek 2024 conference.

The second season of the study is ongoing. Results may differ depending on the match between the vaccine and circulating influenza strains and other factors.

This study was funded by CSL Seqirus, which provided all the adjuvanted influenza vaccine doses to members of a large health system.

As of October 18, 2024, over 92 million flu shots have been distributed in the U.S. this season.