Cancer Vaccine Breaking News

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has been alerted to the circulation of counterfeit batches of the rabies vaccine Abhayrab® in India.

The counterfeit versions differ from the genuine product in formulation, packaging, labelling, and manufacturing. As a result, individuals who received counterfeit doses may not be fully protected against rabies.

Indian Immunologicals Limited manufactures this vaccine and is not registered or available for use in Australia.

As of December 28, 2026, the ATGI says Australia remains rabies-free, but travellers to endemic areas are at risk if exposed. 

However, Australian travellers or residents who received rabies vaccination in India may have received it as part of pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis.

ATAGI recommends that anyone who received Abhayrab® or any unknown rabies vaccine in India from November 2023 onwards consult their healthcare provider. Replacement doses using an Australian-registered rabies vaccine (such as Rabipur® or Verorab®) may be required to ensure adequate protection.

Healthcare providers are encouraged to review vaccination records for patients who have recently traveled to India and to offer replacement doses where appropriate.

Rabies is a rare but almost invariably fatal viral disease that affects the central nervous system. It is transmitted primarily through the bite or scratch of an infected animal and is prevalent in many countries, including India.

For more information, visit the Department of Health website or consult the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

In the United States, each year, 1.4 million Americans receive healthcare for a possible rabies exposure, 100,000 receive post-exposure prophylaxis, and fewer than 10 die from rabies.

In most countries, infected dogs are the source of rabies. However, the U.S. CDC says bats have been the leading carriers of the rabies virus, along with Raccoons, skunks, and foxes.

When departing abroad from the U.S, FDA-approved rabies vaccines are commercailly offered at travel clinics. They are recommended for travelers visiting high-risk areas in 2026, such as Africa, Haiti, and Southeast Asia.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is closely monitoring the situation of Nipah virus (NiV) infections in South Asia, where the virus continues to pose a public health challenge despite strong containment efforts by national authorities.

First identified after an outbreak in Malaysia, an outbreak occurred in Bangladesh in 2001, and human NiV cases have been confirmed nearly every year in the country.

To date, the WHO Disease Outbreak News (577) reports that Bangladesh has documented 347 cases through its established surveillance system, with a case fatality rate of 71.7%.

In 2025, Neighboring India reported four confirmed NiV cases in Kerala state, including two deaths, across Malappuram and Palakkad districts—the first recorded cases in Palakkad.

Kerala's health authorities, through the Information and Public Relations Department, promptly issued alerts, traced contacts, and intensified containment measures, preventing wider spread.

The WHO currently assesses the public health risk from NiV as moderate at national and regional levels, given the high fatality rate and challenges in early detection.

However, the risk of international spread remains low, with no confirmed cases outside the affected areas in Asia.

Furthermore, the WHO advises travelers and residents in affected regions to avoid raw date palm products during the season and to seek immediate medical care for symptoms such as fever, headache, or respiratory issues.

Unfortunately, as of December 27, 2025, the WHO reports that no specific drugs or vaccines exist.

In a significant advancement against the deadly virus, the University of Oxford announced on December 15, 2025, that it has launched the world's first Phase II clinical trial of its ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine candidate in Bangladesh.

In recognition of the urgent need for a Nipah virus vaccine and the compelling early data, the European Medicines Agency granted the ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine PRIME designation in June 2025. This designation aims to expedite the development and regulatory review processes for medicines that address unmet medical needs.

The ChAdOx NipahB vaccine was manufactured for this clinical trial by the Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd., the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, in collaboration with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

Vax-Before-Travel lists additional Nipah virus vaccine candidates.

The Government of Canada recently updated its Travel Health Notice with various information Canadians should consider when planning a visit to the United States.

On December 24, 2025, Canada advised travelers to take normal security precautions in the USA. And within large urban areas, violent crime more commonly occurs in specific neighbourhoods.

From a health perspective, Canada recommends talking to a healthcare provider or visiting a travel health clinic, preferably 6 weeks before your trip, to get personalized health advice. Even if your travel date is coming up soon, it's still worthwhile to make an appointment.

Previously, Canada issued measles travel advice on November 13, 2025.

And regarding routine vaccinations, Canada says make sure you are up-to-date before you travel, no matter where you're going in the USA.

These may include vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella, meningococcal, and others.

Conversely, the U.S. Department of State maintains a Level 1, Exercise normal precautions when visiting Canada in 2025. Travelers can review the latest Travel Advisory about Canada at this link.

However, before traveling north this winter, the U.S. CDC has highlighted Canada's extensive measles outbreaks in 2025, and recommends vaccinations before visiting outbreak areas.

The first detection of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) for the 2025-2026 summer season has been confirmed in a mosquito near Horsham Rural City Council, Victoria. 

While rare, the Australian Centre for Disease Control (ACDC) says JEV spreads through bites from infected mosquitoes and can cause severe brain inflammation (encephalitis). It is fatal in about 1 in 250 patients.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer, Dr Caroline McElnay, said in a press release, "Mosquitoes can bite anyone, but people living, working or spending time outdoors in northern Victoria – especially near rivers – may be at higher risk."

"Simple actions like wearing repellent, covering up, and limiting outdoor activities at dawn and dusk can help reduce your risk."

JEV is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in 24 countries in the Pacific/Oceania Regions, exposing more than 3 billion people to infection risks.

As of December 24, 2025, nine JEV cases and five deaths were reported in Australia during the 2024–25 summer, with many more cases likely going unreported because, in most instances, people don't have any symptoms.

In 2022, JEV was detected in south-eastern Australia for the first time, with 45 human cases and seven deaths reported.

The ACDC has written that an effective preventive vaccine for JEV is available for people at higher risk of contracting the virus in Australia. If you are not eligible for a free JEV vaccine but are at higher risk, you can talk to your healthcare professional about buying one privately.

When departing from the United States, JEV vaccines are commercially offered at travel vaccine clinics.

Furthermore, the risk of JE introduction into the U.S. may be highest in California due to the frequency of international arrivals from Asia and Australia and the abundance of mosquitoes.

In late December 2025, two disease alerts regarding dengue fever outbreaks offered conflicting advice for travelers.

According to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) Arbovirus Surveillance report for Week 51, as of December 20, 2025, there have been 62 locally acquired dengue cases recorded statewide. The counties most affected include Brevard with 35 instances, Miami-Dade with 25 cases, and both Hillsborough and Pasco with 1 case each.

Regarding the virus subtypes, the FDOH reported that DENV-3 accounted for 44% of the cases, while DENV-4 accounted for 21% in 2025.

Additionally, Florida has reported 415 Travel-Associated Dengue cases in 2025 who had traveled to a dengue-endemic area in the two weeks before onset.

However, today, the U.S. CDC reissued a global Level 1 Travel Health Notice identifying 12 countries experiencing dengue outbreaks late in 2025.

As of December 23, 2025, the CDC included Cuba, which is a neighbor of Florida. However, it did not address the health risk posed by this mosquito-borne virus in the southeastern counties of Florida.

Furthermore, neither the CDC nor the FDOH recommends the use of a dengue vaccine for prevention.

Currently, a first-generation dengue vaccine (Dengvaxia) is being tested in children in Puerto Rico, and the second-generation QDenga vaccine is offered in about 30 countries. 

While the newly authorized third-generation, single-dose Butantan-DV vaccine is scheduled for release in Brazil in 2026, international travelers are optimistic that its availability will expand next year, including in Florida.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced it is gearing up for a record-setting holiday travel season.

On December 22, 2025, the TSA stated it is fully staffed and ready to screen a projected 44.3 million travelers at the nation's airport security checkpoints between Friday, December 19, 2025, and Sunday, January 4, 2026.

The TSA expects the heaviest traveler volume will be on Sunday, December 28, 2025.

The busiest day last year was December 27, when TSA screened just under 2.85 million travelers.

TSA Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Administrator, Adam Stahl, commented in a press release, "We continue to enhance the traveler experience by deploying new technologies and procedures t..."

One of these enhancements is REAL ID.

More than 94% of passengers already use their REAL ID or other acceptable forms of identification.

The TSA began enforcing the REAL ID Act in May 2025, and starting in February 2026, the agency will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly to an option to pay $45 to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA ConfirmID, to establish identity.

Another enhancement launched in July: TSA PreCheck® "Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease" benefits for the military and uniformed service community. This program includes expedited lanes for service members, free TSA PreCheck for surviving immediate family members of military servicemen and women who lost their lives in the line of duty, and TSA PreCheck discounts for spouses of military and uniformed service members.

With various disease outbreaks currently impacting international travelers, the U.S. CDC recently updated Travel Health Notices for chikungunya, dengue, measles, polio, and yellow fever. Many of these diseases have U.S. FDA-approved vaccines available at travel clinics in late December 2025.

A recent Eurosurveillance rapid communication details Ireland's first known outbreak of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) clade 1b, involving four linked cases from August to October 2025, with cases related to a Dublin hospital.

On December 18, 2025, in Volume 30, Issue 50, the researchers wrote that, to the best of our knowledge, the first reported nosocomial transmission of MPXV clade Ib outside Africa occurred alongside the ongoing rise in MPXV clade Ib importations in countries outside Middle Africa.

This cluster highlights the ongoing possibility of mpox transmission from travel-associated cases. It emphasises the need for a high level of clinical suspicion for mpox in cases with relevant clinical symptoms and travel to countries where mpox is currently circulating.

The Irish outbreak originated with a traveler returning from Pakistan and spread via sexual, household, and nosocomial (in a healthcare setting) transmission. The cases were genetically identical and related to a sequence from Oman in February 2025.

The close relationship between the Oman and Irish sequences highlights the role of international travel in the spread of clade 1b and the potential for global transmission, the researchers added.

Since the second declaration of a public health emergency of international concern for mpox was lifted in September 2025, both MPXV clades I and II, and their subclades, continue to circulate globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) Disease Outbreak News reported in early December 2025.

The WHO considers there to be community transmission of the Mpox virus in various European countries, such as Belgium, Germany, and Spain.

In Ireland, as of December 21, 2025, the MVA-BN (JYNNEOS) vaccine is authorized in response to mpox outbreaks.

And when departing for Ireland or other mpox-risk countries, the U.S. CDC recommends international travelers speak with a travel vaccine advisor regarding immunization options.