Travel Vaccine Breaking News

Jan 28, 2023 • 10:42 am CST

Tiny Barbados Leads All Zika Detections

UK Travel Health Barbados 2023

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) updated its Arboviral situation summary today with data indicating that a coral island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies was confronted with an extensive Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak last year.

Zika transmission can occur in most areas where the mosquito Aedes aegypti is found. This means there is the potential for transmission throughout much of the Caribbean Islands, says the PAHO.

In 2022, the PAHO reported a total of 37,869 ZIKV cases in the Region of the Americas in 15 out of 52 countries and territories.

The most significant number of Zika cases in the Region was reported by Brazil, with 34,176.

But on a cumulative incidence per 100,000 population basis. Barbados, with about 280,000 residents, led the Region at 48.

Brazil's rate was just 16, based on a population of 214 million.

To alert international visitors of their potential ZIKV health risk when visiting Barbados, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an Alert - Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions. However, the CDC withdrew this Alert on June 30, 2021.

The CDC currently says, 'We do not have accurate information on the current level of risk.'

However, both Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) had enough information to publish ZIKV advice for people visiting Barbados last year.

The UK represented about 50% of all international visitors in 2022.

Because Zika is a cause of severe congenital disabilities, such as microcephaly, the CDC, Canada, and the UK recommend pregnant women and couples trying to become pregnant within the next few months speak with their healthcare providers to carefully consider the risks and possible consequences of travel to areas with risk of Zika.

Furthermore, if a woman is pregnant, she should not visit areas with ZIKV outbreaks, says the CDC.

Furthermore, these countries have not approved a Zika-prevention vaccine as of January 28, 2023.

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Jan 27, 2023 • 2:10 pm CST

Bolivia's Boarders Should Be Avoided

by Chester Photography

The U.S. Department of State recently updated its travel advisory for the Plurinational State of Bolivia in western-central South America.

On January 26, 2023, the State Department's Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution notice highlighted areas of concern.

For the Chapare region, do not travel due to civil unrest. Also called The Chapare, this rural province is in the northern part of the Cochabamba Department in central Bolivia.

Chapare is adjacent to Peru, which also reported civil unrest in 2023.

The State Department also suggested reconsidering traveling to the Yungas region, which is located further north in Bolivia.

If you visit Bolivia or are in-country, the State Department says to avoid demonstrations and crowds and enroll in STEP to receive embassy alerts and to be located in an emergency.

And, due to ongoing public demonstrations in the southern city of Santa Cruz, the U.S. Consular Agency announced on January 4, 2023, it would remain closed until further notice.

And recommended visitors should limit travel to and around Santa Cruz.

American citizens in Santa Cruz needing urgent consular assistance can contact the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy La Paz, located at Avenida Arce 2780, La Paz, Bolivia.

At over 3,500m elevation, La Paz is positioned in the Andes' Altiplano plateau near the snow-capped Mt. Illimani, with the world's highest cable car. Or visitors can visit Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake.

Furthermore, Canada confirmed that roadblocks are common on January 26, 2023, and can lead to significant traffic and public transportation disruptions. The following areas are vulnerable to blockades: along Bolivia–Peru border and roads leading to international airports.

From a health perspective, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests several pre-visit vaccinations, such as yellow fever.

Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for all travelers ≥9 months of age traveling to areas in elevation and east of the Andes Mountains: the entire departments of Beni, Pando, Santa Cruz, and designated areas of Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, and Tarija departments.

In the U.S., the YF-Vax vaccine is available at certified travel clinics and pharmacies.

The article was updated on Jan. 28, 2023.

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Jan 27, 2023 • 12:54 pm CST

New Test Tracks Virus Variant Lineages

by Ellie from Pixabay

Roche and its subsidiary TIB Molbiol, recently announced they had developed a COVID-19 PCR test for researchers that detects and differentiates the latest variant of concern, XBB.1.5.

The XBB.1.5 variant is prevalent in the U.S. and is quickly spreading to other countries.

XBB.1.5 is a sub-variant of a SARS-CoV-2 beta coronavirus variant named XBB.

Differentiating emerging variants and understanding their similarities and mutations empowers experts to make predictions about treatment strategies.

The VirSNiP SARS-CoV-2 Spike F486P test is for use on the LightCycler® 480 II and cobas® z 480.

“Roche continues to develop timely diagnostic innovations related to COVID-19 by providing valuable insights - helping scientists and physicians understand this new strain, how it differs from other variants, and the impact it may have on public health,” said Matt Sause, CEO of Roche Diagnostics, in a press release on January 26, 2023.

“Since the start of this global health crisis, Roche has been committed to bringing effective diagnostic solutions to address unmet needs to healthcare communities worldwide.”

The research-use-only test, VirSNiP SARS-CoV-2 Spike F486P, adds to the broad suite of COVID-19 test kits developed by Roche and TIB Molbiol.

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration has authorized numerous COVID-19-related tests as of January 27, 2023.

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Jan 26, 2023 • 2:06 pm CST

Is the Flu Season Increasing or Decreasing

WHO Influenza Update N° 437 Jan. 23, 2023

The World Health Organization (WHO) Influenza Update N° 437 report recently confirmed influenza activity decreased globally but remained somewhat elevated due to activity in the northern hemisphere.

In the countries of North America, most indicators of influenza activity decreased to levels similar to or below levels typically observed this time of year.

Influenza A(H3N2) was the predominant virus detected.

In Europe, overall influenza activity decreased.

Many European countries reported high or very high intensity, and more than half reported widespread activity. And various indicators of influenza activity decreased in many countries while others reported increases.

Overall, influenza A viruses predominated with similar proportions of A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) influenza viruses detected in primary care sentinel sites but with regional differences.

The full, unedited WHO January 23, 2023 report is posted at this WHO link.

On January 20, 2023, the U.S. CDC FluView week #2 report confirmed seasonal influenza activity was declining in most areas.

Three regions in the U.S. were below their outpatient respiratory illness baselines for the first time since October 2022.

In the U.S., over 170 million influenza vaccines have been distributed during the 2022-2023 flu season. These flu shots remain generally available at most clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.

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Jan 26, 2023 • 11:00 am CST

Air Traveler Genomic Surveillance Expands in 2023

U.S. CDC Travel Screening At US Airports 2023

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travelers’ Health today announced the expansion of the Traveler Genomic Surveillance (TGS) program to two additional U.S. airports, Los Angeles and Seattle.

This expansion is helping the CDC to detect new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus variants among international air travelers.

U.S. airports are visited by more than 1 billion travelers annually and can serve as the front line for public health officials to detect the virus that causes COVID-19.

Recently, the TGS program was among the first globally to identify BQ.1.1 and contributed towards its designation as a sub-lineage. 

TGS also has been among the first to identify and report BA.2.75.2, XBB, and CH.1.1 in the U.S.

In total, the TGS program currently has sites in seven major U.S. international airports:

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta

John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City

Los Angeles International Airport

Newark Liberty International Airport

San Francisco International Airport

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Washington Dulles International Airport

The next time you travel through one of these airports, stop by the TGS booth, volunteer to participate, and receive a free COVID-19 at-home test kit for your time contributing to public health, stated the CDC on January 26, 2023.

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Jan 26, 2023 • 10:30 am CST

Arboviral Diseases in the Americas Turn Deadly

PAHO disease case report Jan. 26, 2023

According to new data published today by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Region of the Americas reported 3,113,022 arboviral disease cases in 2022.

Of those cases, 90.1 % were dengue, 8.7 % were chikungunya, and 1.2 % were Zika virus.

Regarding related fatalities, dengue infections produced 1,289 deaths, chikungunya was 87, and Zika produced 2 deaths last year.

It is worth noting that in 2022 dengue peaked at week #17, whereas chikungunya peaked in week #18, and the Zika virus circulation was more robust in the first semester.

Country-specific data on case counts and completeness can be found at https://www.paho.org/plisa.

While dengue has two approved preventive vaccines available in certain countries, chikungunya and Zika candidates remain in various stages of human clinical trials as of January 26, 2023.

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Jan 26, 2023 • 9:12 am CST

Anti-Amyloid Beta Vaccine Candidate for Alzheimer’s Shows Positive Study Results

by Sara Blatter

AC Immune SA today announced the first interim safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity findings from the Phase 1b/2 ABATE trial of its anti-amyloid-beta (Abeta) vaccine ACI-24.060 in patients with prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Early results from the first cohort of AD patients in ABATE showed that low dose ACI-24.060 could elicit an anti-Abeta antibody response as soon as week 6 (2 weeks after the second injection).

The data show that ACI-24.060 vaccination has been safe and well tolerated to date.

As a result, dosing in ABATE's second, higher-dose AD cohort has begun, and the trial is cleared to start screening specific individuals for part 2 of the study.

Dr. Andrea Pfeifer, CEO of AC Immune SA, commented in a press release on January 26, 2023, "We are delighted with the encouraging initial safety, and immunogenicity findings for ACI-24.060 in ABATE reported today."

"We believe ACI-24.060's successful development could provide patients with a novel therapeutic option offering numerous potential advantages in treatment, maintenance, and prevention settings."

"These early findings from ABATE represent an important step towards this goal, and we look forward to reporting more detailed data at a future conference."

ACI-24.060, derived from AC Immune's SupraAntigen® platform, has been shown in preclinical studies to induce a strong polyclonal antibody response that matures and is maintained against oligomeric and pyroglutamate-Abeta species, essential pathological forms of Abeta believed to drive Abeta plaque formation and disease progression.

Targeting Abeta using antibodies has recently been validated with U.S. FDA approvals of new monoclonal antibody treatments for patients with AD.

By eliciting polyclonal anti-Abeta antibodies, the ACI-24.060 anti-Abeta vaccine development program aims to ultimately deliver significant benefits to patients, their caregivers, and healthcare systems regarding potential safety and tolerability, low-frequency dosing, low overall costs, and durable responses.

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Jan 26, 2023 • 7:48 am CST

Monoclonal Antibody Treatment for Adults with Relapsing Forms of Multiple Sclerosis Launches

by Mircea from Pixabay

TG Therapeutics, Inc. today announced the commercial launch of BRIUMVI™, for treating relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS), including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease, in adults.

BRIUMVI is the first and only anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAbs) approved for patients with RMS that can be administered in a one-hour infusion following the starting dose.

BRIUMVI targets a unique epitope on CD20-expressing B-cells and was designed to lack specific sugar molecules normally expressed on the antibody.

Removing these sugar molecules, a process called glycoengineering allows for efficient B-cell depletion at low doses.

BRIUMVI was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration based on data from Phase 3 trials, which demonstrated superiority over teriflunomide in significantly reducing the annualized relapse rate (the primary endpoint), the number of T1 Gd-enhancing lesions and the number of new or enlarging T2 lesions.

Michael S. Weiss, the Company's Chairman and CEO stated in a press release on January 26, 2023, "Our team has been working hard to make BRIUMVI available as quickly as possible, and we are pleased to announce that BRIUMVI is now available to healthcare providers and patients."

"We continue to be highly focused on ensuring patients who benefit from BRIUMVI can easily access treatment."

RMS is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. It includes people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis who continue to experience relapses.

The results from the ULTIMATE I & II trials were published on August 25, 2022, in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The launch of BRIUMVI includes an extensive patient support program designed to support patients through their treatment journey. More information about the BRIUMVI Patient Support program can be accessed at www.briumvi.com.

TG Therapeutics was founded with one goal in mind—to leverage scientific advances in B-cell biology to develop novel treatments for patients.

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Jan 25, 2023 • 5:26 pm CST

Zika Vaccine Candidate Issued Patent Notice

U.S. USPTO 2023

A clinical-stage biotechnology company announced today good news regarding its Zika virus (ZIKV) vaccine candidate, which was recently found very effective in a preclinical study.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued GeoVax Labs Inc. a Notice of Allowance for Patent Application No. 17/000,768 titled, "Method for Generating a ZIKV Immune Response Utilizing a Recombinant Modified Vaccinia Ankara Vector Encoding the NS1 Protein."

The claims to be granted in the patent cover GeoVax's MVA vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a ZIKV nonstructural (NS1) protein, of which the GEO-ZM02 vaccine candidate is designed.

"Our novel Zika vaccine, GEO-ZM02, is constructed using our modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vector platform," stated GeoVax CEO David Dodd in a press release on January 25, 2023.

"Preclinical studies demonstrated a single dose of GEO-ZM02 provided 100% protection against a lethal dose of Zika virus."

"Addressing many of the world's most threatening infectious diseases is part of our vision and corporate priorities for MVA's applications, including an MVA-based next-generation COVID-19 vaccine currently in Phase 2 clinical trials."

With an outstanding safety record, MVA has great potential to address the unmet need to vaccinate women of childbearing age and newborns against ZIKV.

A pathogen endemic in various areas of the world, ZIKV is linked to an increase in infant microcephaly and neurodegenerative disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, in adults.

Numerous public health officials recommend avoiding exposure to ZIKV, delaying pregnancy, and following basic supportive care (fluids, rest, and acetaminophen) after infection.

GEO-ZM02 is designed to function through the induction of T-cell responses rather than antibodies to eliminate the risk of Antibody Dependent Enhancement, a serious side effect observed in flavivirus infections when an individual does not have a fully protective immune response from vaccination or a previous infection that causes a more serious disease if infected.

ZIKV is a member of the Flaviviridae family, which includes other significant pathogens such as dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis, and West Nile viruses.

GeoVax Labs, Inc. is developing novel therapies and vaccines for cancers and many of the world's most threatening infectious diseases.

As of January 25, 2023, the U.S. FDA has not approved a Zika prevention vaccine.

Note: The USPTO provides inventors, entrepreneurs, and small businesses with free resources on how to protect their intellectual property.

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Jan 25, 2023 • 1:23 pm CST

Initial $35 Million to Produce 100,000 Ebola Sudan Vaccines

by Adrian P.

EverGlade Consulting today announced that Sabin Vaccine Institute successfully secured up to $214 million in funding from the U.S. government to advance the development and production of single-dose vaccine candidates for Ebola Sudan and Marburg virus diseases.

Currently, no licensed vaccines against either virus cause hemorrhagic fever and kill approximately half the people infected.

There are U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines for a different ebolavirus known as Zaire.

BARDA, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, will initially invest $35 million to produce up to 100,000 doses of the ChAd3-SUDV Ebola Sudan virus vaccine candidate.

These vaccines may be part of ongoing U.S. preparedness efforts and response to future global outbreaks.

The contract also includes funding to manufacture Sabin's Marburg virus vaccine, ChAd3-MARV, which will generate doses that could be used in trials and response to a future Marburg virus outbreak.

Andrew Stiles, Principal at EverGlade, said in a press release on January 25, 2023, "The recent Ebola Sudan outbreak in Uganda emphasized the critical need for better preparedness."

The initial Ebola virus disease (EVD) case first appeared in 1976.

The recent Sudan Ebolavirus outbreak in the Republic of Uganda was declared on September 20, 2022, and was declared ended in early 2023.

Detailed ebola vaccine information is posted at PrecisionVaccinations.com/Ebola.

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Jan 24, 2023 • 5:06 pm CST

Ohio's Measles Outbreak Spreads South

by Emily D.

A recent measles case in Christian County, Kentucky, has been associated with Ohio’s ongoing measles outbreak, according to Kentucky Cabinet of Health and Family Services spokesman Brice Mitchell on January 20, 2023.

WAVE3.com reported Mitchell indicated several other Kentucky residents are being monitored for measles symptoms.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says measles symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus, and rashes appear 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms.

Measles isn’t just a little rash.

According to the CDC, measles can be dangerous, especially for young children.

The good news is measles is a vaccine-preventable disease.

Recently, the city of Louisville, Kentucky, and the Jefferson County Public Schools began conducting measles vaccination clinics for about 10,000 unvaccinated students.

On January 18, 2023, local media reported on-campus measles clinics at Iroquois High School, Marion C. Moore School, Newcomer Academy, and Fern Creek High School on February 7, 2023.

Since June 2022, the Health Department of the City of Columbas, Ohio, and Franklin County Public Health have reported (85) confirmed measles cases in children, of which (36) were hospitalized as of January 24, 2023.

The CDC reported there were 121 measles cases in six U.S. jurisdictions in 2022.

During 2021, a total of 49 measles cases were reported by five jurisdictions.

Measles outbreaks continue to be reported worldwide, which is why the CDC recommends being fully vaccinated before visiting measles-outbreak countries such as India and Nigeria.

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Jan 24, 2023 • 11:13 am CST

Machu Picchu Closes To Visitors For Now

Sergio Amiti Credit: Getty Images

Peru's Culture Ministry website recently posted a notice that it had closed the country's most famous tourist attraction "to protect the safety of tourists and the population in general."

As of January 21, 2023, the 15th-century ancient ruins of Machu Picchu were not accepting future visitors to this mountaintop site, as the train service was recently closed.

There are a number of hiking routes along the Inca Trail to reach Machu Picchu, however, it takes about five days to reach the top.

Traditionally, over 2,000 people visit Machu Picchu daily.

Machu Picchu is located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru on a 2,430-meter mountain ridge.

Cusco, Peru, where Machu Picchu is located, has been the site of some civil unrest in 2023.

The local airport, Alejandro Velasco Astete, was closed recently.

But, flights are expected to resume at Arequipa's Alfredo Rodriguez Ballon International Airport on January 26, 2023. According to the U.S. Embassy Peru, U.S. citizens should contact the appropriate airline for flight rescheduling.

For emergencies involving American citizens in Peru, please email [email protected] or call +51-1-618-2000. And U.S. citizens are advised to register in STEP to receive alerts and messages from the U.S. Embassy in Lima.

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Jan 24, 2023 • 10:10 am CST

Visitors to Nigeria Advised to be on Alert

U.S. Dept. of State map of Nigeria Jan 2023

The U.S. Department of State updated its Level 3 Travel Advisory for the federal republic of Nigeria, located in west Africa.

Local media reported people should exercise caution around events in Lagos State from Jan. 23-24, 2023. And plan for localized transport disruptions.

As of January 23, 2023, the State Department says Do Not Travel to certain areas due to civil unrest:

Borno, Yobe, Kogi, and northern Adamawa states,
Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara states,
Coastal areas of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers states (except Port Harcourt).

Furthermore, the U.S. Consulate in Lagos provides all routine and emergency services to U.S. citizens in Nigeria. The U.S. Embassy Abuja can only provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens in Abuja.

U.S. citizens in Nigeria who require assistance should contact [email protected] or +234 1 460 3410.

Additionally, they should enroll in the Smart Traveler Program to receive alerts and facilitate extraction during emergencies.

From a health perspective, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises future Nigeria visitors to speak with a travel vaccine advisory about one month before departure.

The CDC has recently issued various Travel Health notices for Nigeria's disease outbreaks, such as yellow fever, polio, measles, and Mpox.

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Jan 24, 2023 • 5:03 am CST

Encouraging Additional Vaccinations for Immunocompromised Advised

by K. Brady

The JAMA Network Open recently published an Original Investigation that found 41% of adults with impaired immune systems had received a 4th mRNA vaccine dose.

However, only 1% had received their recommended 5th dose

'Our results highlight a substantial gap in adherence to recommendations for mRNA monovalent COVID-19 booster doses,' wrote these researchers on January 20, 2023.

"Given the increased risk for severe COVID-19 in this vulnerable population and the well-established additional protection afforded by booster doses, targeted and tailored efforts to ensure that immunocompromised individuals remain up to date with COVID-19 booster dose recommendations are warranted," the researchers added.

Immunocompromised individuals (i.e., persons with immunocompromising conditions or who are taking immunosuppressive medications) often mount weaker immune responses to vaccines and experience higher rates of vaccine failure compared with immunocompetent individuals.

As of January 2023, both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have progressively amended COVID-19 vaccine authorizations and recommendations to include additional COVID-19 vaccine doses for immunocompromised individuals.

Disclosures: Pfizer, a company producing mRNA vaccines, sponsored his study. Corresponding Author: Sara Y. Tartof, Ph.D., MPH, Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California ([email protected]).

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