Cancer Vaccine Breaking News

Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) today reported two new human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) infection in Dallas County for 2023.

The patients are two male residents of the 75228 and 75204 zip codes in the City of Dallas. Both patients were diagnosed with West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease (WNND.)

Due to privacy and confidentiality reasons, DCHHS does not disclose additional information about the patient.

As of July 28, 2023, there are four total human cases this year. 

There were 42 cases of WNV in Texas and seven deaths in 2022. Over the last five years, Texas has had 485 cases and 65 deaths. 

"Mosquito activity continues in our community, and we're now reporting two additional human cases of West Nile Virus. WNV is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito, and people should be careful when going out outside to enjoy outdoor activities," said Dr. Philip Huang, DCHHS Director. "Please follow the 4 Ds to do everything you can to avoid mosquito bites," in a press release.

As of July 28, 2023, there were seven new mosquito sample pools: in Dallas, 75218, 75241, and 75243 (2 pools); Mesquite, 75150 (3 pools).

WNV is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes, says the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

Most people exposed to the virus don't get sick, but about 20% develop symptoms like headache, fever, muscle and joint aches, nausea, and fatigue.

In a tiny proportion, less than 1%, the virus affects the nervous system, leading to the more severe WNND that can cause neck stiffness, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis, and even death.

"It's important for people to be aware that there are many diseases transmitted by mosquitoes found in Texas," said DSHS Commissioner Jennifer Shuford, MD, MPH, in a press release on July 11, 2023.

 "Most of these diseases cause mild illness, but in rare instances, diseases like dengue or Zika can cause severe illness."

"We've even had a locally acquired malaria case in Texas this year, which underscores the importance of taking precautions to prevent mosquito bites."

As of July 2023, the U.S. FDA has not approved a WNV vaccine.

According to recent news from the World Health Organization (WHO), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) outbreaks were found in a few countries in the Region of the Americas.

The WHO's Influenza Update N° 449, published on July 7, 2023, RSV activity was increasing in a few temperate South American countries. 

Separately, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently offered insights into when the U.S. could expect RSV to be detected in 2023.

The CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report presented the seasonality of RSV in the U.S. from 2017–2023. The most recent RSV season onset occurred in June and peaked in November.

Across both prepandemic and pandemic years, RSV circulation in the U.S. began in Florida, then in the southeast, and later in the north and west regions. 

The CDC says Florida's RSV season is longer than the rest of the U.S.

For this reason, the Florida Department of Health segmented reports into five RSV regions, each with its own RSV season. As of July 22, 2023, there were no RSV outbreaks in Florida.

From a prevention perspective, the U.S. FDA recently approved RSV vaccines and a second monoclonal antibody therapy for children.

Merck today announced positive topline results from two Phase 3 trials evaluating V116, the company's investigational 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in vaccine-naïve and previously vaccinated individuals.

In both studies, V116 had a safety profile comparable to the comparator in the studies.

Results from the STRIDE-3 clinical trial demonstrated statistically significant immune responses compared to PCV20 (pneumococcal 20-valent conjugate vaccine) in vaccine-naïve adults for serotypes common to both vaccines as assessed by serotype-specific opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) 30 days post-vaccination.

Positive immune responses were also observed for serotypes unique to V116.

Additionally, results from STRIDE-6 demonstrated that V116 was immunogenic for all 21 pneumococcal serotypes in the vaccine among adults who previously received a pneumococcal vaccine at least one year before the study.

If approved, V116 would be the first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine designed for adults, says Merck.

Dr. Eliav Barr, senior vice president, head of global clinical development, and chief medical officer of Merck Research Laboratories, said in a press release on July 27, 2023, "These results support the potential for V116 to become an important new preventative option for adults, regardless of prior pneumococcal vaccination status, by expanding coverage to include eight serotypes not currently included in any licensed vaccine."

According to pre-pandemic 2019 U.S. CDC data, the 21 serotypes covered by V116 are responsible for 85% of invasive pneumococcal disease in individuals 65 and older.

V116 includes eight serotypes not currently covered by approved pneumococcal vaccines.

Serotypes unique to V116 include 15A, 15C, 16F, 23A, 23B, 24F, 31, and 35B, which were responsible for approximately 30% of invasive pneumococcal disease in individuals 65 and older, based on pre-pandemic 2019 U.S. CDC data.

With several recent incidents reported in Irish media, the U.S. Embassy in Dublin reminded U.S. citizens on July 25, 2023, to exercise good personal security practices while traveling abroad.

For example, an older Buffalo, New York musician was abused last week during an unprovoked assault near Store Street Garda station.

The U.S. Embassy Dublin encourages all citizens to be aware of their surroundings, especially when traveling in unfamiliar places, crowded locations, empty streets, or at night in July 2023.

U.S. Embassy in Ireland can be contacted at +353 1 668-8777 or [email protected].

Furthermore, the U.S. Department of State reissued a Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions travel advisory of Ireland on July 26, 2023.

The State Department says if you decide to travel to Ireland, visitors should participate in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive Alerts during an emergency.

From a health perspective, the U.S. CDC suggests speaking with a healthcare provider one month before visiting Ireland to ensure you are fully immunized against routine and travel diseases.

MenFive®, the first conjugate vaccine to protect against the five predominant causes of meningococcal meningitis in Africa, has been prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Developed through a 13-year collaboration between Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. (SIIPL) and PATH, MenFive® protects against meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, Y, and X and is designed to eliminate annual meningitis outbreaks and epidemics in the African meningitis belt.

It is also the only vaccine preventing meningitis caused by meningococcal group X, a pathogen increasingly implicated in African meningitis outbreaks.

Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India, said in a media release on July 12, 2023, "As the first conjugate vaccine to safeguard against the five predominant causes of this deadly disease, MenFive® offers hope for a future free from annual outbreaks and epidemics in the African meningitis belt."

WHO prequalification ensures a vaccine meets strict international quality, safety, and efficacy standards, was supported by extensive clinical studies in The Gambia, India, and Mali that demonstrated a high level of safety and immunogenicity.

Importantly, prequalification allows MenFive® to be procured by United Nations agencies and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance.

Meningitis is the inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by infection. 

Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial infection that sets in rapidly and can kill within hours. It can cause severe brain damage and sepsis, leading to limb amputation, and is fatal if untreated in 50% of cases, says the WHO.

Anyone can contract meningococcal meningitis, but children under age five—especially infants—are likely to suffer the most severe effects.

In the United States, two types of meningococcal vaccines are licensed by the Food and Drug Administration: Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) vaccines and Serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccines. 

Moderna, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines, and Merck today announced the initiation of the pivotal Phase 3 randomized V940-001 clinical trial evaluating V940 (mRNA-4157), an investigational individualized neoantigen therapy (INT), in combination with KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, as an adjuvant treatment in patients with resected high-risk (Stage IIB-IV) melanoma.

INTs are designed to train and activate the immune system so that a patient can generate an antitumor response specific to their tumor mutation signature.

V940-001 is the first Phase 3 study of a planned comprehensive clinical development program initiated following the positive primary analysis of the Phase 2b KEYNOTE-942/mRNA-4157-P201 trial. 

Global recruitment in V940-001 has begun, and the first patients are now enrolling in Australia.

"The initiation of the V940-001 Phase 3 trial is an exciting and important milestone for us as we work with our colleagues at Merck and the melanoma patient community to investigate how individualized neoantigen therapy may potentially transform the treatment of the most serious form of skin cancer," said Kyle Holen, M.D., Moderna's Senior Vice President and Head of Development, Therapeutics and Oncology, in a press release on July 26, 2023.

Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of pigment-producing cells.

Nearly 325,000 new cases were diagnosed worldwide in 2020.

In the U.S., skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer diagnosed, and melanoma accounts for a large majority of skin cancer deaths. It is estimated there will be nearly 100,000 new cases of melanoma diagnosed and almost 8,000 deaths resulting from the disease in the U.S. in 2023.

Over the past eighteen months, numerous reports of avian influenza infections in birds, mammals, and even people in 47 states have been reported.

Since January 2022, based on its genetic features, about 836 flocks, and over 58 million birds have been infected with the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HAPI) virus.

To date, more than 6,500 people in 52 jurisdictions have been monitored since 2022, and only one human case has been identified in the U.S.

However, the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service posted some excellent 'bird flu' news on July 25, 2023.

There has not been a confirmed bird flu outbreak in the U.S. since May 18, 2023.

On July 7, 2023, the U.S. CDC published an updated Technical Report that confirmed the overall risk to human health associated with the ongoing outbreaks of highly pathogenic A(H5N1) viruses in wild birds and poultry has not changed and remains low at this time.

Should a bird flu outbreak occur in humans, the U.S. government has already invested in developing related vaccines.