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Since being discovered in Lyme, Connecticut, decades ago, Lyme disease has expanded west in the United States, causing significant health risks to people when outdoors.

For example, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently confirmed Lyme disease is now the most common tick-borne disease in Michigan, and anaplasmosis is increasing across the state.

Lyme disease cases in Michigan have increased by 168% over the last five years.

Michigan recorded 1,215 cases in 2024, as compared to 452 cases in 2020.

Anaplasmosis cases in Michigan have increased by almost fivefold over the last five years, with 82 cases reported in 2024 compared to 17 in 2020.

"Preventing tick bites is the best way to prevent tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease and anaplasmosis," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS's chief medical executive, in a media release on May 21, 2025.

"If you find a tick attached to your body, promptly remove it. Monitor your health, and if you experience fever, rash, muscle or joint aches, or other symptoms, or if you suspect a tick has been attached for more than 24 hours, consult with your medical provider."

As of June 2, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved a vaccine for the prevention of Lyme disease. However, an innovative vaccine candidate (VLA15) is progressing in late-stage clinical research.

VLA15 is a multivalent recombinant protein vaccine targeting Borrelia's outer surface protein A (OspA). It is designed for prophylactic, active immunization against Lyme disease. The first data readout of the Phase 3 clinical trial is expected by the end of 2025.

Vaccine Treats: 
Lyme Disease
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US CDC
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Don Hackett
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Michigan
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Through the initial five months of 2025, Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks continue as a significant, measurable public health concern worldwide.

In the Region of the Americas, over 12,600 Zika patients have been identified as of June 1, 2025.

Last year, 42,127 ZIka cases and two related fatalities were reported in the Americas in 2024, led by Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia.

Foremost among public health leaders' focus is when a pregnant woman becomes infected with this mosquito-transmitted virus. While pregnant, ZIKV can induce severe defects of the fetal brain and, eventually, microcephaly in the infant.

To better understand this health risk, an Ohio State University (OSU) study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on May 23, 2025, reveals the biological secret to the Zika virus's infectious success.

These researchers found that Zika utilizes the host cells' own "self-care" system to clear away useless molecules, thereby suppressing the host proteins that the virus has employed to enter those cells in the first place. 

They wrote in a press release on May 27, 2025, 'While these cell surface proteins are valuable for viral entry, they also have roles in producing an antiviral response. Before that can happen, the virus manipulates a process cells use to keep themselves healthy to lower the proteins' activity, clearing the way for unfettered viral infection.'

'Though other viruses, such as HIV, are known to silence host receptors that let them into cells, Zika is unusual for having at least three of its proteins that can get the job done,' said Shan-Lu Liu, senior author the study and a virology professor in the Department of Veterinary Biosciences at OSU.

"That's the most interesting part: It's amazing that not only one, but several Zika proteins can do this."

"We looked at two Zika virus strains and examined three physiologically relevant cell types. With both strains, we observed downregulation in all three cell types. It looks like this is an important mechanism," added Liu.

Although further research is needed to confirm this, there is a possibility that this mechanism is relevant to the Ebola virus, which utilizes the TIM-1 protein to access host cells, or to other pathogens in the same flavivirus family, including Zika, West Nile, yellow fever, and dengue viruses. 

"The bottom line is this speaks to the co-evolution of viral-host interactions. The more important a host factor is to a virus, the more a virus is going to do to take control of it," Liu said. "Understanding these mechanisms is an important part of being prepared for emerging or reemerging viruses that cause infectious diseases."

As of June 2025, there are no Zika preventive vaccines available, and the U.S. CDC recommends pregnant women avoid visiting areas reporting Zika outbreaks.

Over the last few years, Zika cases have been reported in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and other tourist favorite destinations.

Vaccine Treats: 
Zika
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by Jeanette Atherton
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Karen McClorey Hackett
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Puerto Rico
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Travel Vaccine Appointment

Travel Vaccine Appointment Request in 2025

Thank you for contacting Vax-Before-Travel. We are forwarding your request for a travel vaccination appointment to a local healthcare provider, such as a travel clinic or pharmacy.

You should receive a response within a few hours. In the meantime, here are a few links to current disease outbreaks impacting various destinations in 2025:

Chikungunya - The mosquito-transmitted virus has been found in over 100 countries, including those in the Americas and the Indian Ocean.

Cholera - The WHO-prequalified oral cholera vaccines, including Dukoral®, are available for international travelers. 

Dengue - Last year, the number of Dengue cases set an unfortunate record, and mid-year reports suggest 2025 may top it.

Malaria - While 90% of malaria cases are reported in Africa, numerous travel-related cases are confirmed each year. Currently, malaria vaccines are offered in Africa.

Mpox - While the number of Mpox cases in the U.S. has diminished in 2025, several African countries are currently reporting outbreaks of Clades 1 and 2. The JYNNEOS vaccine is approved to prevent mpox and is available in most countries.

Urinary Tract Infection - As of 2025, treatments for UTIs and an oral spray vaccine are available globally, but not in the USA.

Yellow Fever - Yellow Fever virus outbreaks have been detected in various countries in 2025. A U.S. FDA-approved Yellow Fever vaccine is available in 2025.

Other travel vaccines are available to protect individuals from various diseases. The U.S. CDC Travel Health Notices recommend that most vaccines be administered about one month before departing for an outbreak area in 2025.

Furthermore, should you need a pre- or post-trip test to detect virus infections such as chikungunya, dengue, or malaria, visit Utla Labtests.

Thank you,

Don Hackett

Vax-Before-Travel, Publisher

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Thursday, December 11, 2025 - 06:00
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Travel vaccinations are offered at clinics and pharmacies in 2025
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Chikungunya
UTI vaccine

Complicated Urinary Tract Infection Oral Antibiotic Approaches Approval

UTI vaccine and medications available in 2025
May 31, 2025
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With the summer of 2025 cruise ship season getting underway, many passengers are seeking access to a norovirus preventive vaccine.

As of May 14, 2025, the U.S. CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program had reported 17 gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses on cruise ships this year, with over ten classified as norovirus outbreaks, and others still under investigation.

This CDC data compares with 18 GI outbreaks in all of 2024 and just 14 in 2023.

While norovirus vaccine research has been previously unsuccessful, one oral vaccine has published positive news.

Vaxart, Inc. recently announced the publication of complete data from a Phase 2b challenge study of its first-generation oral pill norovirus vaccine candidate. 

This study measured safety, efficacy against infection and symptomatic disease, as well as viral shedding.

Additionally, a machine learning analysis identified statistically significant correlates of protection, which will be incorporated into the development of Vaxart’s second-generation norovirus vaccine candidate.

“Challenge studies provide unique opportunities to identify correlates of protection that can be used to predict vaccine efficacy and support vaccine development,” said James F. Cummings, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Vaxart, in a press release.

“The application of machine learning approaches to the complete data from the Phase 2b challenge study of our first-generation oral pill norovirus vaccine candidate identified two such correlates, functional serum blocking antibody and fecal IgA."

"Evaluation of these endpoints will help inform our understanding and provide an early read on the potential efficacy profile of our second-generation norovirus vaccine candidate as it advances through clinical development."

The single-center, double-blinded Phase 2b challenge study enrolled 165 healthy adults, who were randomized 1:1 to receive Vaxart’s monovalent oral pill vaccine candidate targeting the norovirus GI.1 genotype or placebo. Four weeks after vaccination, subjects were challenged with GI.1 norovirus. The primary objective of the study was to determine the efficacy of the vaccine against norovirus infection and norovirus gastroenteritis (NVG) following gastrointestinal (GI) infection.1 NV challenge.

Secondary objectives were to assess the safety and tolerability of the vaccine candidate. The ability of the vaccine candidate to modify disease severity, the quantity and duration of norovirus shedding, and a set of immunogenicity parameters was also quantified. The primary efficacy endpoints were the proportion of participants showing evidence of NVG, a composite endpoint defined as meeting one or more definitions for acute gastroenteritis and a positive norovirus infection, and the norovirus infection itself.

Key findings from the study include the vaccine was immunogenic and protected against norovirus infection, with a 30% relative reduction for the vaccine group compared with placebo (p=0.003); The vaccine group had a lower incidence of norovirus gastroenteritis (21% relative reduction), but was not statistically different (p=0.178); The vaccine significantly increased serum IgA, IgG, norovirus-blocking antibodies, and antibody-secreting cells (p<0.001 for all endpoints). The vaccine stimulated mucosal-homing B cells and significantly increased norovirus-specific antibodies in saliva, nasal lining fluid, and the intestine.

Steven Lo, Chief Executive Officer of Vaxart, added, “The initiation of the Phase 1 clinical trial comparing our first- and second-generation norovirus vaccine candidates is a key step toward this important goal."

"The Phase 2 challenge study published today for our first-generation norovirus candidate supports our oral pill norovirus vaccine approach, and the preclinical data we have generated to date support our view that our second-generation candidate has the potential to provide improved immunogenicity and protection.”

As of May 30, 3035, the CDC has not recommended any norovirus vaccine.

Vaccine Treats: 
Norovirus
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US CDC May 30, 2025
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Don Hackett
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CEPI and the U.S. Department of Defense, Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND), announced a new agreement on May 28, 2025, that will enable the two organizations to collaborate on projects that expand global defenses against disease outbreaks.

The first agreed-upon project will support the development of a Nipah monoclonal antibody (MBP1F5). JPEO-CBRND will transfer doses of a Nipah monoclonal antibody (MBP1F5)—currently undergoing Phase 1 testing to CEPI for the conduct of a CEPI-funded Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in India and Bangladesh, two countries affected almost annually by Nipah virus outbreaks.

Nipah virus, a zoonotic disease of the Paramyxovirus family, kills up to 75% of the people it infects. There are no approved treatments or vaccines to defend against it.

The World Health Organization states that Nipah vaccine candidates encompass live-attenuated and replication-defective recombinant vaccine platforms based on poxviruses, VSV, adenovirus, measles, rabies, and virus-like particles, as well as subunit vaccines.

So far, Nipah virus outbreaks have been confined to South and Southeast Asia. Still, Pteropus bats (i.e., the virus vector) are found in a large geographical area across the globe, covering a population of more than 2 billion people.

Bruce Goodwin, Joint Project Lead for CBRND Enabling Biotechnologies at JPEO-CBRND, stated in a press release, "Our goal is to provide the U.S. joint force with rapid, resilient, and operationally relevant solutions to protect and defend them against any threat they may face across the globe."

"This partnership with CEPI helps us achieve that goal faster." 

Under the umbrella of the CRADA, CEPI and JPEO-CBRND may also jointly identify future areas of collaboration that support global health security, potentially for use in emergency response situations. 

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Nipah virus
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Pixabay 2025
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Don Hackett
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Washington DC
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During 2025, various measles outbreaks have been reported in North America. As of the end of May, the data from Canada and the United States have diverged.

In Canada, during week #20 (May 11 to 17, 2025), 354 new measles cases were reported. 

Throughout 2025, a total of 2,515 measles cases have been reported by nine Canadian jurisdictions: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. 

With Ontario reporting 1,848 cases, the vast majority of Canada's measles outbreak.

In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a total of 1,046 confirmed measles cases as of May 22, 2025, across 31 jurisdictions.

Of all states, Texas has been the unfortunate leader in 2025.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has reported 729 cases in West Texas and 24 other cases since late January 2025. The good news is that Texas has only reported one new measles case since May 23.

Globally, Ontario and Texas are not the only areas with measles outbreaks in 2025.

To notify international travelers of this ongoing health risk, the CDC reissued a Travel Health Advisory on May 28, 2025, identifying more than 50 countries that have reported measles cases.

The CDC recommends that international travelers be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to the CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. 

However, the CDC says, 'travelers unable to safely receive a measles-containing vaccine should talk to their clinician and consider postponing their trip.'

In the U.S., travel vaccine experts are staffed within many clinics and pharmacies to offer local vaccination recommendations.

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Measles
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Health Canada May 28, 2025
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Don Hackett
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Austin
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The Cook Islands in the South Pacific Ocean recently confirmed it is also experiencing a dengue fever outbreak in May 2025.

On May 22, 2025, the Ministry of Health officially declared a dengue fever outbreak in Rarotonga, a city with a population of 10,000, following the confirmation of seven cases over the past 18 days.

Since February, a total of 11 isolated cases have been reported.

The Ministry confirmed there are no dengue cases in the Pa Enua.

Bob Williams, Secretary of Health, commented in a media release, “We urge everyone to help stop the spread of dengue in our communities. By working together, we can protect our families and prevent dengue from reaching the Pa Enua."

"Let’s take action now.”

The Cook Islands Government has recently announced $4.1 million in funding to bring Pa Enua residents to Rarotonga in July for the 2025 Te Maeva Nui celebrations, which will take place from July 25 to August 5 this year.

All clinics and health facilities in the Cook Islands remain on alert and are well-equipped to manage any further cases, says the Ministry.

The World Health Organization and regional health partners have been informed, and no travel restrictions have been issued; however, travelers are advised to take precautions.

When the U.S. CDC updated its Level 1 - Practice Usual Precautions, Dengue Travel Health Advisory on May 22, 2025, it did not list the Cook Islands. The CDC identified Fiji, French Polynesia, and the Philippines.

The CDC recommends several routine and travel vaccines for visitors to the Cook Islands, but not the new dengue vaccine.

Vaccine Treats: 
Dengue
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Pixabay 2025
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Karen McClorey Hackett
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Cook Islands
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Since early 2025, SARS-CoV-2 virus activity has been increasing globally, with the positivity rate reaching 11% in some countries. However, unlike in past years, activity is now very regional.

According to the World Health Organization (DON572) on May 28, 2025, this respiratory disease increase is primarily observed in countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific regions.  

This DON says recent increases in SARS-CoV-2 activity are broadly consistent with levels observed during the same period last year. But virus surveillance has been limited in 2025

Countries in the African Region, European Region, and the Region of the Americas are currently reporting low levels of SARS-CoV-2 activity with percent positivity from sentinel or systematic virological surveillance sites ranging from 2% to 3%. 

WHO advises all Member States to continue applying a risk-based, integrated approach to managing COVID-19, including vaccinations. Currently approved COVID-19 vaccines continue to protect against severe disease and death.

The WHO and its Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC) continue to regularly assess the impact of variants on the performance of COVID-19 vaccines to inform decisions on updates to vaccine composition.

In the latest recommendation published in mid-May 2025, the WHO TAG-COVAC advised that monovalent JN.1 or KP.2 remain appropriate COVID-19 vaccine antigens; monovalent LP.8.1 is a suitable alternative vaccine antigen.

An estimated 39.2 million individuals, across 90 reporting Member States, had received a dose in 2024. Uptake was notably higher among older adults, with coverage reaching 5.1% in the European Region and 3.6% in the Region of the Americas, compared to less than 0.5% in other regions.

In the United States, the COVID-19 vaccination policy was updated in May 2025.

Vaccine Treats: 
COVID-19
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WHO DON572 May 28, 2025
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Don Hackett
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Singapore
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Amidst the peaceful waves of the South Pacific, the Republic of Vanuatu's 330,000 residents have steadily recovered from a devastating earthquake.

Since December 2024, the Infrastructure and roads in Port Vila and the surrounding area have been updated.

In response to this effort, the U.S. Department of State updated its Travel Advisory for Vanuatu to reflect a lowering from Level 3 to Level 1 due to the removal of the Natural Disaster indicator.

As of May 22, 2025, the State Department advises visitors to Vanuatu to exercise normal precautions.

The Director of Tourism recently informed local media that the total number of air arrivals in January 2025 was 9,353. Among visitor arrivals, Australian visitors accounted for the highest proportion at 59%. 

And when visiting this island country in Melanesia, northeast of Australia, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive digital alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. 

Unfortunately, the State Department advises reconsidering travel to Papua New Guinea due to civil unrest, where the local U.S. Embassy is located.

From a health perspective, the U.S. CDC suggests several routine and travel vaccines to prevent diseases when visiting Vanuatu in May 2025.

For example, the CDC suggests the typhoid vaccine.

While malaria is present in Vanuatu, vaccination is not recommended.

The CDC recommends that travelers visiting Vanuatu take prescription medication to prevent malaria. Depending on the medication you take, you will need to start taking it multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. 

In April 2025, the Ministry of Health reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to protecting the health and well-being of all people in Vanuatu through safe, effective, and evidence-based vaccination programs.

'Immunization remains one of the most powerful and proven tools to prevent a wide range of infectious diseases and promote public health,' wrote the Ministry.

These medicines and vaccines are available in the U.S. at travel clinics and pharmacies as of May 2025.

Vaccine Treats: 
Malaria
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from Pixabay 2025
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Don Hackett
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Vanuatu
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