Travel Vaccine Breaking News

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today announced the mpox outbreak in Chicago, Illinois, has reached 40 individuals.

As of June 23, 2023, the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report confirmed that mpox vaccine breakthrough cases were reported to the Chicago Department of Public Health.

The observed proportion of cases among persons who had received JYNNEOS® (MVA-BN) smallpox/mpox or ACAM2000 smallpox vaccines in this cluster was unusual.

Mpox breakthrough cases averaged eight months since the last vaccination.

During March 18–June 12, 2023, 40 laboratory-confirmed mpox cases were identified in Chicago, including 22 (55%), five (13%), and 13 (33%), respectively, among patients who had received two doses of JYNNEOS or one dose of ACAM2000 vaccine, those who had received one vaccine dose of JYNNEOS vaccine, and those who had not received any vaccines for mpox.

All cases occurred among persons assigned male sex at birth; 37 (93%) identified as male and 28 (70%) as gay.

The median age was 33 (IQR = 23–49).

Eleven (28%) patients were living with HIV, 10 of whom had received two doses of JYNNEOS or one dose of ACAM2000 vaccine and whose HIV was well-controlled (CD4 count >200 cells/mm3 and viral load <200 viral copies/mL).

Three (8%) patients experienced concurrent sexually transmitted infections during mpox diagnosis.

Of six live births, two neonates developed lesions within one week after their mothers became symptomatic.

This investigation is ongoing. However, no similar clusters are being seen elsewhere in the U.S.

Preliminary sequencing indicates the virus is the same B.1 variant of Clade IIB, the predominant variant of the 2022–2023 outbreak.

The CDC wrote that this increase in mpox cases before significant summer events scheduled nationwide and in Chicago raised concerns about possible future case increases.

Although the cause of this cluster has not yet been determined, leading hypotheses include a potentially high number of sexual exposures in a network with many vaccinated persons, decreased vaccine effectiveness due to waning of humoral immunity, or vaccine mishandling or administration errors.

Mpox outbreak news and other sexually transmitted disease vaccine news are posted by Precision Vaccinations.

The U.K. Health Security Agency today published the National Influenza and COVID-19 Report for week #25.

The overall positivity for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) remained low at 0.4%, with the highest positivity in those under five years old at 1.6%.

And emergency department attendance for acute bronchiolitis remained stable nationally in the U.K.

Additionally, In week #24, influenza activity remained stable from most indicators, and COVID-19 activity decreased.

In the U.S., RSV seasonality is generally identified in the state of Florida. As of mid-June 2023, Florida has not reported an RSV outbreak.

The U.S. CDC recently published new guidance on Measles during the summer of 2023. Measles outbreaks are occurring in all World Health Organization regions.

Over the past year, measles outbreaks have been reported in the European, African, Eastern Mediterranean, Western Pacific, and Southeast Asian regions.

On June 21, 2023, Health Alert Network Health Advisory (CDCHAN-00493) offered guidance for measles prevention to international travelers and to be on alert for future measles cases in 2023.

The measles virus is contagious and easily spread while flying in an airplane or riding in buses or trains.

As of June 8, 2023, CDC has been notified of 16 confirmed U.S. measles cases across 11 jurisdictions, with 88% linked to international travel.

Based on current estimates, twice as many Americans are planning to travel internationally in 2023 compared with 2022. Many countries and popular travel destinations 

To prevent measles infection and spread from importation, all U.S. residents should be up to date on their measles vaccinations, especially before international travel, regardless of the destination.

As of June 22, 2023, various measles vaccines are authorized worldwide.

The U.S. Department of State recently issued two travel advisories that indicate Australia and New Zealand are prime destinations for a summer vacation in 2023.

This is essential news since the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will occur across Australia and New Zealand in nine cities from July 20 through August 20, 2023.

On June 16, 2023, the State Department issued a Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions notice for Australia.

And a similar travel advisory was issued for New Zealand.

Before visiting these countries in 2023, the U.S. government suggests enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive alerts during an emergency.

From a health perspective, dengue outbreaks are a risk in this area.

The U.S. CDC says to check the travel vaccines and medicines list and visit your healthcare provider at least a month before visiting these countries in 2023.

GSK plc today announced new data from the AReSVi-006 phase III trial evaluating the efficacy of a single dose of AREXVY™ against lower respiratory tract disease caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in adults aged 60 years and older over multiple RSV seasons and after annual revaccination.

The results presented on June 21, 2023, show that one dose of AREXVY is efficacious against RSV-LRTD and severe LRTD over two full RSV seasons.

In a press release, Tony Wood, Chief Scientific Officer of GSK, stated, "These data show the efficacy of a single dose of our vaccine over two RSV seasons against RSV-LRTD, including in the populations most at risk due to age or underlying medical conditions."

"This reinforces our confidence in its potential to make a significant public health impact."

"We look forward to discussing these results with regulators and vaccine recommending bodies and collecting more data from the ongoing clinical development program."

As of June 2023, there are two approved RSV vaccines for older people in the U.S.

UPDATE - The ACIP voted to recommend AREXVY on June 21, 2023.

News18 recently reported the U.K.'s Science, Innovation, and Technology Committee was informed the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is highly likely heading in its direction, thanks to climate change.

We don't know what will arrive until it does, was a comment shared during the meeting on June 14, 2023.

Last year, the U.K. Health Security Agency confirmed a case of CCHF in England in a woman who had recently traveled to Central Asia. This was only the third case of CCHF imported to the U.K.

Outbreaks have been confirmed in Iraq, Namibia, and Pakistani in 2023. In Iraq, there were 219 confirmed cases of CCHF from January 2022 to late June 2022. 

First described in the Crimean Peninsula in 1944, CCHF is endemic in all of Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Asia, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO says CCHF is a viral disease spread via ticks with a fatality rate of between 10 and 40%.

Human-to-human transmission of CCHF has been reported following close contact with blood, secretions, or other bodily fluids of infected persons. And cases have been reported among health workers caring for infected people.

Regarding preventive vaccines, the WHO published an overview of CCHF vaccine candidates.

And in March 2023, eBioMedicine published a study that supported further development of the ChAd platform expressing the CCHFV GPC to seek an effective vaccine against CCHFV.

In the U.K., no licensed human vaccine or approved medication targeting CCHF is available as of June 20, 2023.

The U.S. CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is scheduled to conduct an in-person and digital meeting beginning on June 21, 2023.

This three-day ACIP meeting will debate and vote on various vaccine recommendations, such as Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccines for older adults.

Please see the agenda for the time and day.

Anyone can attend the digital meeting for free to listen and learn how the U.S. government makes vaccine recommendations.

The ACIP comprises medical and public health experts who develop recommendations on the use of vaccines in the civilian population of the U.S. The recommendations are public health guidance for safe use of vaccines and related biological products.

The Committee's recommendations are forwarded to CDC's Director for approval. Once approved, they are published in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

And ACIP's recommendations result in the official U.S. adult and childhood immunization schedules.