Vaccine News

In 2025, Brazil remains the leading country in the Americas for reported yellow fever cases. However, the Republic of Colombia has confirmed a significant outbreak since 2024

By July 31, 2025, Colombia reported in a post on Facebook a total of 125 confirmed cases of yellow fever (YF), resulting in 53 deaths.

Most of these YF cases were concentrated in the Tolima Department, which accounted for 105 cases and 38 deaths.

In addition, YF cases have been reported in the Departments of Huila, Cauca, Nariño, Putumayo, Caldas, Meta, Vaupés, Guaviare, and Caquetá.

As of August 4, 2025, YF is a vaccine-preventable disease, and proof of vaccination is required to enter various countries, including Colombia. 

In the United States, the YF-VAX vaccine is commercailly offered at travel vaccination retailers.

Since the beginning of 2025, five countries in Europe have reported human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) infection: Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, and Romania.

In week #31, the European CDC reported that the highest number of cases, 43, occurred in the Latina province of Italy.

As of July 31, 2025, a total of 89 cases of WNV infection have been confirmed (Bollettino N. 3) in Italy this year, including eight fatalities.

In addition to WNV, other mosquito-borne diseases, Chikungunya and Dengue, have been reported in Italy in 2025.

Before visiting Italy this summer for events such as the Jubilee of Youth, the U.S. CDC recommends speaking with a travel vaccine advisor at least one month before departure about immunization options.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recently highlighted cases of Oropouche virus disease in Europe that are linked to international travel, as noted in their Communicable Disease Threats Report.

As of July 25, 2025, the ECDC has reported that Germany confirmed one imported case of Oropouche virus disease. This case involved a person who had traveled to Dominica between January 24 and February 7, 2025.

France also reported one imported case in an individual who visited Brazil in March 2025.

Additionally, the United Kingdom recorded three imported cases among travelers returning from Brazil during March and April 2025.

Throughout 2024, there were a total of 44 imported cases of Oropouche reported in EU countries, with Spain accounting for the highest number at 23 cases. Most cases had a travel history to Cuba, and one case was linked to Brazil.

The ECDC assesses the risk of infection for EU/EEA citizens traveling to countries in the Americas affected by the Oropouche as moderate.

They state, "The likelihood of human exposure to Oropouche virus in the EU/EEA is considered very low. This is despite the potential for further cases to be imported, as the competent vectors typically found in the Americas are absent from continental Europe.'

'To date, there has been no reported secondary transmission. Therefore, the risk of locally acquired Oropouche virus disease in the EU/EEA is low.'

In the United States, there were 103 cases of Oropouche fever reported in individuals in Florida who had traveled to an endemic area, such as Cuba, in 2024.

As of July 31, 2025, there are no Oropouche vaccines available.

With the 2025-2026 Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus seasons launching in the United States, a debated innovation recently recieved positive data on how it can passively reduce respiratory diseases.

The new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine trialled commercially available germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) appliances in senior care facilities, finding they reduced rates of viral respiratory infections by about 12.2%.

GUV appliances, which purify the air with UV-C light rays and deactivate harmful micro-organisms like viruses and bacteria.

“Some of the key advantages of germicidal ultraviolet air-treatment appliances are that they are easily installed into existing facilities and cost-effective to use,” says lead author Dr Andrew Shoubridge from Flinders University and SAHMRI’s Microbiome and Host Health Programme, in a press release on July 28, 2025.

“When used in conjunction with existing infection control measures, they could be transformative in reducing rates of seasonal respiratory viral infections and protecting residential aged care facilities against emerging pathogens.”

This randomized clinical trial tested commercially available LAF Technologies GUV appliances that are already used in a wide range of clinical and commercial settings, including hospitals.

The appliances can be mounted to ceilings or walls, fitted into ventilated AC systems, are harmless to people, and have already proven to reduce levels of airborne pathogens in laboratory and hospital settings.

Senior author of the study, Professor Geraint Rogers, conceived this world-first trial and the transformative adaptation of this technology to reduce respiratory viral outbreaks in vulnerable older Australians.

“Our study aimed to explore new ways in which to protect aged care residents from harmful outbreaks of viruses, without disrupting their day-to-day activities.

“Based on our findings, it’s difficult to see why you wouldn’t install these appliances in aged care facilities.”

When Ebola and Marburg outbreaks have occurred over the decades, diagnosing cases has been a significant challenge for healthcare workers.

To address this essential need, Aptitude Medical Systems announced its second major partnership with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), with $9 million in funding to develop the Metrix Filovirus Panel.

This collaboration leverages Aptitude's next-generation molecular diagnostics platform, Metrix®, which has been advanced through a prior BARDA partnership valued at up to $61.9 million.

This rapid next-generation molecular diagnostic device aims to detect and differentiate Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus species.

"Point-of-care diagnostics are essential for effectively addressing outbreaks of high-consequence pathogens like Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus species," added JP Wang, PhD, CTO, President, and Executive Chairman of Aptitude, in a press release on July 28, 2025.

It is a small, portable platform, making it appropriate for use in remote and more traditional point-of-care settings, generating results in 30 minutes or less from venous or fingerstick blood samples.

As of July 29, 2025, there are no active Ebola and Marburg outbreaks in Africa, and Ebola vaccines and antibody therapies have been approved for use by various countries.

While the Pan American Health Organization has reported over 200,000 Chikungunya cases in 2025, none were confirmed in the Republic of Cuba.

However, as of July 28, 2025, local media are reporting that the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine has stated a Chikungunya outbreak has been reported in the España Republicana neighborhood of Matanzas municipality, specifically in the Perico area.

According to news from the CubaHeadlines, tests detected the mosquito-transmitted virus in several patient samples from the area.

Recently, Cuban authorities confirmed five critical dengue cases in Cuba.

This outbreak is of concern to Florida, which is located about 100 miles north of this area in Cuba.

"Florida's subtropical climate, abundant mosquito populations (notably Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus), and high volume of international travelers create conditions conducive to potential outbreaks, Duellyn Pandis, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CTM®, AFTM RCPS(Glasg), FAANP, informed Vax-Before-Travel.

"As of July 2025, Florida has reported travel-related chikungunya cases, which pose a risk of local transmission if infected individuals are bitten by local mosquitoes, which can then spread the virus to others," added Bandis, President of Passport Health of Tampa Bay Travel Medicine Clinic.

As of mid-July, the Florida Department of Health had reported hundreds of travel-related Chikungunya, Dengue, and about 23 Malaria cases, many related to travelers from Cuba.

To increase Chikungunya infections, commercial laboratories began offering diagnostic tests in 2025.

And from a disease prevention perspective, two Chikungunya vaccines have been approved and are commercailly available in the United States.

The global effort to eradicate poliovirus and limit polio outbreaks is a shared responsibility that continues in various countries as of late July 2025.

Despite significant progress, the detection of ongoing polio cases highlights the persistent risk to children.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 41 countries remain at risk for polio outbreaks, including the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

As of July 27, 2025, local media reported that the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad confirmed three additional cases of polio.

So far this year, 17 reported cases have been identified, and the total number of cases for 2024 currently stands at 74.

In Pakistan, a vaccination campaign is currently underway in the bordering Union Councils of District Chaman and six districts of Balochistan, starting in late July 2025.

The CDC emphasizes that the only adequate protection against polio is through repeated doses of the polio vaccine for every child under the age of five, with optional booster doses for adults traveling to endemic areas.

In the United States, the IPV polio vaccine is offered at clinics and pharmacies.