Vaccine News

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) today announced that the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has reported an increase in respiratory viral infections this season in northern China, including human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infections, seasonal influenza, rhinovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus.

Since December 2024, human metapneumovirus has affected all age groups in China. According to the ECDC, it usually causes mild to moderate respiratory illness, but the infection can sometimes be severe in young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals.

As of January 8, 2025, the ECDC 'considers that the current epidemiological situation in China reflects a seasonal rise in respiratory infections caused by common respiratory pathogens and does not pose any specific concern for the EU/EEA (Europe).

According to the WHO, countries including India and the United Kingdom have also reported seasonal rise in cases of hMPV. Based on the current risk assessment, WHO advises against travel or trade restrictions related to current trends in acute respiratory infections.

Currently, there is no vaccine for hMPV, but annual flu shots and RSV vaccines are available at most pharmacies in the U.S.

Micron Biomedical today announced the company secured a $7.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that brings total grant funding from the organization to $43 million.

As of January 7, 2025, the Gates grant will support Micron’s efforts in increasing access to a measles-rubella vaccine and activities to support a phase 2 clinical trial in infants.

Micron’s technology has been recognized for its potential to have a positive global impact and be game-changing in hard-to-reach settings, such as in Africa. Micron's “peel-and-stick” microarray technology is applied to the skin and allows for the self-administration of pharmaceuticals (vaccines) by pressing a button.

A study published in The Lancet on May 11, 2024, involving Micron’s needle-free microarray technology, was the first to demonstrate the safety, immunogenicity, and acceptability of a vaccine delivered to children via any needle-free microarray technology. The research involved the leading commercially available MR vaccine.

Micron Biomedical is a clinical-stage life science company on a rapid path to commercializing its proprietary dissolvable, microarray technology.

Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) today announced it awarded Clarametyx Biosciences $2.6 million to develop an anti-biofilm vaccine. 

Clarametyx's CMTX-301 is a pathogen-agnostic vaccine candidate designed to prevent bacterial biofilm formation and allow the body's immune response to clear infections without antibiotics.

Biofilms enable bacteria to infect medical devices and human tissues, shielding them from natural clearance mechanisms. Bacterial biofilms are increasingly recognized to be involved in clinical infections in many body systems, including the auditory, cardiovascular, digestive, integumentary, reproductive, respiratory, and urinary systems.

"CARB-X is proud to continue supporting Clarametyx Biosciences in work to combat biofilm-associated infections, a major challenge in the fight against antibiotic resistance," said Erin Duffy, PhD, R&D Chief of CARB-X, in a press release on January 7, 2025. 

"With their novel anti-biofilm vaccine, CMTX-301, Clarametyx is taking an innovative approach that could transform how we prevent and treat these difficult-to-address infections. We look forward to seeing the impact of this program as it advances through clinical development."

CARB-X provided an initial overview of Clarametyx's work on novel anti-biofilm technologies.

The Louisiana Department of Health today reported a patient who had been hospitalized with the first human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in Louisiana and the United States recently died.

Due to patient confidentiality and respect for the family, this will be the final update about the patient. 

The patient was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions. The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds.

This report was not a case of H5N1 person-to-person spreading.

LDH’s extensive public health investigation has identified no additional H5N1 cases nor evidence of person-to-person transmission. This patient remains the only human case of H5N1 in Louisiana.

HAPI avian influenza (bird flu) is widespread globally and has been causing outbreaks in wild birds, poultry, mammals, and dairy cows for a few years. There have been 67 confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu in the United States since 2022. 

As of January 7, 2025, the U.S. CDC says the current public health risk for H5N1 to the general public remains low. However, people who work with birds, poultry, or cows or have recreational exposure to them are at higher risk. 

Furthermore, the best way to protect yourself and your family from H5N1 is to avoid sources of exposure. That means avoiding direct contact with wild birds and other animals infected with or suspected to be infected with bird flu viruses. Do not touch sick or dead animals or their droppings or bring sick wild animals into your home.

While one avian influenza vaccine has been approved for human use (Audenz™) by the U.S. FDA, and several vaccine candidates are in the U.S. stockpile, they are not CDC-authorized for use, nor are they commercially available in the U.S. 

As 2025 kicks off, many international travelers will visit the United Arab Emirates, and according to government agencies, their stays should be healthy and safe.

On January 6, 2025, the U.S. Department of State reissued its Level 2 Travel Advisory, Exercise Caution, saying residents and visitors generally find the UAE a safe and secure environment. Still, regional tensions have aggravated risks for U.S. citizens.

Visitors should also be aware that the UAE has strict rules on social behavior.

Previously, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued an advisory Notice to Air Missions recommending caution for U.S. air carriers and commercial operators operating in the Middle East, including the UAE.

The State Department suggests enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive Alerts and make locating you in an emergency easier. For local assistance, the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi is located at Plot 38, Sector W59-02, Street No. 4.

From a health perspective, the U.K. and U.S. CDCs recommend updating travelers with vaccinations and boosters, including measles, mumps, and rubella. The UAE is included in the CDC's current Global Measles outbreak alert.

While there is no risk of yellow fever in the UAE, a vaccination certificate is required upon arrival at the airport.

In the U.S., yellow fever vaccinations are offered at travel pharmacies and clinics. And as of January 2025, several next-generation vaccine candidates are conducting clinical research.

In 2024, the unfortunate leader in extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Shigellosis outbreaks was the state of California, with 4,365 of the 20,621 cases reported nationwide.

A Brief Report published by AJIC on December 9, 2024, describes a mutation of Shigella sonnei, a strain of Shigella bacteria resistant to five of the antibiotic classes most commonly prescribed for such infections.

This report describes a distinct genetic mutation that made the bacteria resistant to another class of antibiotics, the cephalosporins.

These researchers say this XDR Shigella strain appears unique to LA country.

"These cases highlight the rapid expansion of extensively drug-resistant Shigella in the United States and the urgent need for appropriate detection and management,' wrote these UCLA and Quest researchers.

Since first detected in California in 2017, XDR Shigella has been increasing in prevalence. By 2022, 3.2% of Shigella isolates were XDR. From January through May 2024, 12% (118/978) of California Shigella isolates were reported as XDR. Shigella sonnei isolates accounted for the most significant percentage (78%) of cases.

The U.S. CDC estimates that Shigellosis cases occur annually, making it the third most common bacterial enteric disease. As of week #52, ending December 28, 2024, the CDC confirmed 20,621 Shigella cases, led by California and New York (2,990).

In 2023, the CDC reported 17,176 cases in the U.S.

From a prevention perspective, Valneva SE and LimmaTech Biologics AG are co-developing the Shigella4V (S4V), a tetravalent bioconjugate vaccine candidate against Shigellosis. On November 13, 2024, the companies launched a Phase 2b clinical trial for Shigella4V.

Previously, the U.S. FDA granted Shigella4V Fast Track designation. 

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative recently reported that the Republic of Pakistan has confirmed three cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) infections in the Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

As of the end of 2024, the total number of WPV1 cases in Pakistan has reached 67.

Furthermore, 52 WPV1-positive environmental samples were reported last week, which indicates that additional polio cases will be confirmed in 2025.

The South Asian nation of around 240 million people has been declared as one of two countries (Afghanistan) where polio is endemic.

As VOA reported last year, a representative of Pakistan's Ministry of Health stated that polio eradication is the country's top priority. "Despite the recent resurgence, a unified plan aims to stop polio transmission by 2025."

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), countries affected by poliovirus circulation are subject to temporary recommendations issued by the Emergency Committee of the International Health Regulations on Poliovirus.

The WHO and the U.S. CDC recommend that all travelers to 36 polio-affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio. Residents and visitors of infected regions who have been there for more than four weeks should receive an additional oral or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) within four weeks to twelve months of travel.

Globally, the type 2 novel oral polio (nOPV2) vaccine has been administered over 1 billion times in the past few years.

In the United States, the IPV is offered at travel clinics and pharmacies in 2025.

Seperately, the U.S. Department of State says, 'Reconsider travel to Pakistan as some areas have increased civil unrest risk.'