Travel Vaccine Breaking News

A recent Oxford University-led study demonstrated that an oral live-attenuated vaccine, CVD 1902,  provided significant protection against S. Paratyphi A infection in adults, without any safety concerns.

This phase 2b study is essential as enteric fever, caused by Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi, leads to more than 100,000 deaths and over 8 million disability-adjusted life years each year. Around 30% of cases —over 2 million annually —are caused by S. Paratyphi A, for which no vaccine is currently available.

According to the U.S. CDC, most people in the United States with these illnesses (Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever) are infected while traveling internationally.

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and co-senior author, commented in a press release on October 30, 2025, "We are in a constant fight against bacterial infections, like paratyphoid, that threaten the lives of children in some of the most resource-poor regions of the world."

"This study provides hope that this important disease could be controlled by vaccination if the same effects can be obtained in real-life conditions in those communities."

The research was funded by the UK Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, with collaboration from Bharat Biotech International Ltd. and the University of Maryland, where the vaccine was originally engineered.

The paper, "Safety, Efficacy, and Immunogenicity of a Salmonella Paratyphi A Vaccine," by McCann et al., was published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The Nipah virus, one of the world's deadliest viral pathogens, can lead to a variety of clinical outcomes in humans, ranging from asymptomatic infections to severe respiratory illnesses and fatal encephalitis, says the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO estimates its case fatality rate for this virus is between 40% and 75%.

During 2025, related fatalities were confirmed in Bangladesh and India. 

Unfortunately, no preventive vaccines are available for this virus that is transmitted to humans from bats or pigs as of November 2, 2025.

Recently, a new defense strategy against the Nipah virus has been developed in collaboration with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the University of Oxford, and the Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd., the world's largest vaccine manufacturer.

Their goal is to create the largest investigational-ready reserve of a Nipah virus vaccine candidate.

CEPI funding of up to $7.3 million will support SII for process development and manufacturing of the University of Oxford's ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine candidate.

Dr. Umesh Shaligram, Executive Director, Serum Institute of India, commented in a press release in October 2025, "The collaboration with CEPI and the University of Oxford to develop and manufacture an investigational reserve of the ChAdOx-Nipah vaccine candidate marks a significant step forward in our pandemic preparedness efforts."

"Leveraging our proven manufacturing capabilities and past success with the ChAdOx platform, we are proud to help establish the world's largest investigational reserve against the Nipah virus—one of the deadliest pathogens known. Our aim is to ensure that life-saving doses reach those most in need, particularly across the Global South."

SII will manufacture doses for use in a Phase II clinical trial in a Nipah-affected country, and create an investigational reserve of up to 100,000 doses, which could be deployed under emergency use during a future Nipah virus outbreak, helping to generate critical data and potentially halt an epidemic in its tracks.

SII will supply the Phase II doses to the University of Oxford, which is conducting the clinical trials. These mid-stage trials are set to be the first Phase II trials for a Nipah virus vaccine candidate anywhere in the world.

Earlier in 2025, the CEPI and the U.S. Department of Defense launched a joint effort against Nipah virus treatment and prevention.

According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) mosquito-transmitted disease dashboard, Mexico has reported over 109,771 dengue fever cases in 2025.

As of October 27, 2025, there have been 48 dengue-related fatalities confirmed this year.

Last year, Mexico reported 558,846 dengue cases and 478 related fatalities.

Specifically, during epidemiological week 39, 17 countries reported the circulation of dengue in the Region of the Americas: Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, and Panama. As of this week, the subregion exhibits a decrease of 77% compared to the same week in 2024

Several of these locations reported the the simultaneous circulation of DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4 virus subtypes.

To Mexico's north, the Texas DSHS Arbovirus Activity Report Week #42 disclosed 45 dengue cases this year.

In 2024, Texas reported 143 dengue cases and one related fatality.

In Cameron County, one locally transmitted dengue case was confirmed. 

Without access to dengue vaccines, Texas says, since Aedes mosquitoes usually bite people during the day, especially during early morning hours before daybreak and in the late afternoon before dark, when they are most active, use a mosquito repellent containing "DEET" on exposed skin to prevent infections.

Israel's Health Ministry has reported the death of an unvaccinated toddler from a measles infection. The child died due to complications related to the virus.

As of October 26, 2025, this child marks the eighth death recorded since the measles outbreak began, with all cases involving infants who did not have any underlying medical conditions and were unvaccinated.

During 2025, there have been 1,778 measles cases and 574 hospitalizations. 

The Ministry reported in a press release that the current measles outbreak areas include Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Harish, Modi'in Illit, Nazareth Illit, Kiryat Gat, Ashdod, Safed, Netivot, and the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council.

In these areas, people can visit family care centers and health maintenance organizations, and vaccinations are available without an appointment.

The Ministry advises unvaccinated individuals and parents of infants who have received one dose of the vaccine to avoid participating in large gatherings in outbreak areas due to the risk of infection.

As a result of the Ministry's efforts to increase vaccination coverage, vaccinations in Jerusalem have increased by 500% since September compared to the same period last year, and by 630% in Beit Shemesh.

In light of these figures, the first-dose vaccination coverage (for ages 1-6) against measles in Jerusalem rose from 77% to 84%, and in Beit Shemesh from 72% to 82.6%.

According to the U.S. CDC, international travelers planning to visit Israel in 2025 should be fully vaccinated against measles and polio.

In the USA, these vaccines are offered at travel clinics and pharmacies.

The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced that polio vaccine coverage in Europe is at its lowest level in several years, leaving more than 450,000 infants unprotected.

In 2024, polio vaccination rates in Europe decreased.

"Gaps in immunization coverage make children vulnerable and pose a health security risk to our region and beyond," stated Ihor Perehinets, MPH, the regional emergency director for WHO's European office, in a press release issued on October 24, 2025.

This WHO warning comes as new polio cases have been confirmed in Afghanistan and Papua New Guinea, according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

In Afghanistan, two patients were infected with wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), with paralysis onset in early October, bringing the country's total WPV1 cases to nine for 2025.

Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea (PNG) reported two cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) this week in Central and Enga provinces, with paralysis onset in August. So far this year, PNG has confirmed three cVDPV2 cases.

Furthermore, poliovirus type 2 has been detected through routine wastewater surveillance in 6 countries in the Region (Finland, Germany, Israel, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom) since September 2024.

WHO/Europe, together with other GPEI partners, continues to support national and local public health authorities in their investigations and monitoring of the situation, as well as in strengthening immunization programs and rapidly responding to detections of the virus to prevent it from spreading. 

To alert international travelers to their polio risk in 2025, the U.S. CDC has issued a Travel Health Notice listing 39 countries. The CDC advises travelers to be fully vaccinated before visiting these areas.

Since the first cases of Oropouche virus disease (OROV) were detected in Panama at the end of 2024 and the beginning of this year, a total of 613 confirmed cases have been reported across seven regions in Panama during 2025.

According to Panama's health ministry, OROV crossed the southern border from Colombia and is now found in Panamá Metro, Los Santos, Herrera, Panamá Norte, Veraguas, Panamá Oeste, Coclé, Darién, and Panamá Este (East Panama).

This disease is primarily spread by the bites of infected biting midges (small flies) and mosquitoes.

The Ministry of Health recommends that residents living in areas with active virus transmission use repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and install mosquito nets or wire mesh on doors and windows. They are also urged to avoid traveling to areas with active virus transmission.

Blas Armién, national head of Epidemiology at the Ministry of Health, explained in a media release on October 22, 2025, "Of the 15 health regions, at least seven have identified the circulation of OROV in the human population."

Armién added the most common symptoms of Oropouche include sudden onset of high fever, intense headache with photophobia, muscle and joint pain, and, in some cases, skin rashes (exanthemas).

In this regard, Armién warned that infection during the first trimester of pregnancy can cause genetic alterations in the fetus, such as hydrocephalus. He also emphasized the importance of attending prenatal checkups, as a case of vertical transmission (from mother to child) has been reported in Panama.

Regarding neurological disorders, he mentioned that cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome and flaccid paralysis may occur.

Because it presents symptoms similar to those of dengue, a specific diagnostic algorithm is used to distinguish the two diseases.

To alert international travelers of this health risk, the U.S. CDC reissued a Level 1 - Practice Usual Precautions, Travel Health Notice in September 2025. The CDC has included countries such as Brazil and Cuba in this warning. 

The CDC says, given the limited information on the risk of possible spread through sex, including the unknown of whether the virus may be present in vaginal fluid, travelers and their partners concerned about possible sexual transmission of Oropouche virus can consider using condoms or not having sex during travel and for 6 weeks after returning from travel.

As of late October 2025, no preventive vaccines targeting OROV are available.