Travel Vaccine Breaking News

Travel vaccine breaking news brought to you by Vax Before Travel.

Sep 26, 2023 • 5:30 pm CDT
US CDC dengue map September 25, 2023

Some countries are reporting increased dengue outbreaks in Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean during 2023. Dengue can become severe within a few hours. Severe dengue is a medical emergency, usually requiring hospitalization.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 1 Travel Health Notice on September 25, 2023, to alert international travelers of this mosquito-transmitted health risk.

According to the CDC, dengue is endemic in about 125 countries. 

The countries listed below have recently reported higher-than-usual dengue cases, and travelers visiting these countries may be at increased risk of catching this serious disease.

Argentina

Colombia

Cuba

Guadeloupe

Guatemala

Jamaica

Martinique

Nicaragua

Panama

Peru

In the U.S., 44 jurisdictions have reported about 880 dengue cases in 2023. The majority of these dengue cases were detected in Florida and Puerto Rico.

Since October 2022, two dengue vaccines have been authorized in various countries.

Sep 19, 2023 • 3:07 pm CDT
by Albrecht Fietz

Scientists recently announced they used genomics to reveal distinct sexual networks for syphilis transmission in England.

On September 15, 2023, The Lancet Microbe published a study by researchers with the UK Health Security Agency and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, which revealed infectious syphilis diagnoses tripled since 2010.

In England, new diagnoses of early syphilis increased from 3,011 in 2012 to 8,011 in 2019.

About 50% of the cases were in the greater London area.

By comparing the bacterial genomes from different individuals, the researchers could identify single-letter changes in the DNA – known as single nucleotide polymorphisms – to distinguish one bacterium strain or sublineage of T. pallidum from another.

They show distinct transmission chains between individuals and significant resistance to a commonly prescribed class of antibiotics in England.

These health officials believe the increase in syphilis cases reflects increased sexually transmitted disease testing and transmission.

Dr. Ana Cehovin, Senior Research Manager of Infectious Disease at Wellcome, commented in a press release, "Genomic surveillance is an invaluable tool for understanding how diseases are spreading, what populations are at increased risk, and which strains are developing drug resistance."

"Similarly, realizing the potential of genomic surveillance to identify and monitor drug resistance can help decision makers to implement necessary mitigation measures to control the spread of resistant strains, reducing the chance of disease escalation and protecting at-risk communities."

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by T. pallidum.

While the genomes of T. pallidum are highly conserved compared to other bacterial pathogens - as they tend to transmit more frequently than they mutate - subtle differences can still exist as it spread through a population.

By comparing how genetically related T. pallidum samples are between individuals with a syphilis diagnosis, scientists hope to pinpoint the source of syphilis outbreaks and construct networks that capture its spread.

As of September 18, 2023, there are no approved syphilis vaccines.

Additionally, about 20 mpox patients were confirmed during 2023 in a similar population subset in London. And various poliovirus samples were confirmed in London in 2022.

Sep 18, 2023 • 10:12 am CDT
by Aldk P.

South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) today announced that In the past weeks (week 35 up until week 36, 09/09/2023), 16 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were detected from four of the eight provinces where Measles outbreaks have been confirmed.

Gauteng province reported most cases (11), Limpopo reported one, Kwa-Zulu Natal reported two, and Mpumalanga reported two cases as of September 14, 2023.

Since week 34, 17 measles cases have been from Gauteng province.

The criteria for declaring the measles outbreak over was met in the Northern Cape province in week 15, the North West province in week 24, and the Free State province in week 25.

Globally, several countries continue reporting measles outbreaks in 2023, led by India.

Sep 10, 2023 • 8:50 am CDT
South Africa measles outbreak September 2023

The Republic of South Africa's year-long battle against measles outbreaks continues in September 2023.

In the past weeks (week 34 up until week 35), 17 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were detected across the country from four of the eight provinces.

As of September 2, 2023, Gauteng province reported most of the cases (11), Limpopo reported three, Kwa-Zulu Natal reported two, and North West reported one case.

Measles is highly contagious. Around 90% of people who are not protected will become infected following exposure to the virus.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) criteria for declaring the measles outbreak was met in the Northern Cape province in week 15, the North West province in week 24, and the Free State province in week 25. 

Since late 2022, the NICD has tested 6,816 serum samples for measles, of which 1160 (17%) were confirmed positive.

The NICD has implemented numerous vaccination programs throughout the measles outbreaks and continue in September 2023.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), India leads all other countries over the past year with about 57,000 cases.

In addition, the CDC published a global Travel Health Notice on June 29, 2023, highlighting various measles outbreaks.

Sep 7, 2023 • 11:21 am CDT
US CDC cholera outbreak map 2023

Three new outbreaks of cholera and/or Acute Watery Diarrhoea were recently reported from Uganda, Sudan, and the Republic of the Congo.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Edition #6, 28 countries have reported cholera cases since the beginning of 2023.  

The WHO African Region remains the most affected region, with 16 countries reporting cholera outbreaks since the beginning of the year.  

As of September 5, 2023, the overall capacity to respond to multiple and simultaneous outbreaks continues to be strained due to the global lack of resources, including shortages of oral cholera vaccines (OCV).

The WHO has pre-qualified three OCVs for use in 2023.

Based on the large number of outbreaks, their geographic expansion, and a lack of vaccines and other resources, WHO continues to assess the risk at the global level as very high.

In the U.S., there are very few cholera cases reported.

Sep 4, 2023 • 1:42 pm CDT
WHO measles cases in India August 2023

As India continues its battle against measles outbreaks, it has accelerated last-mile coverage for measles elimination across the country, reported the World Health Organization (WHO).

The good news is that both measles and rubella can be prevented through vaccination.

India is targeting a vaccination coverage of 95% with two doses of the Measles and Rubella vaccine to achieve measles and rubella elimination by 2023.

To achieve that goal, India is conducting three rounds of Intensified Mission Indradhanush 5.0 under the theme “A big leap towards measles and Rubella Elimination” – with an objective to identify and vaccinate all unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children till five years of age.

Targeted districts in the states of West Bengal, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Mumbai in Maharashtra vaccinated over 30 million children were vaccinated with the measles and rubella vaccine from November 2022 to May 2023.

India is not alone in confronting measles outbreaks in 2023, The WHO and the U.S. CDC have identified over 30 countries with measurable measles outbreaks this year.

As of early September 2023, the CDC reported 19 measles cases in the U.S., including recent cases in Chicago and Texas.

Sep 3, 2023 • 9:27 am CDT
US TSA September 3, 2023

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently announced that since Memorial Day 2023, it has screened an average of more than 2.4 million people per day at more than 430 airports nationwide.

The Memorial Day and Fourth of July holiday weekends set records for the number of people screened, and the Labor Day holiday is shaping up to be busy as well.

TSA Federal Security Director for Washington, Greg Hawko, commented in a press release, “If you are traveling this Labor Day weekend, please take a few minutes to ensure you are prepared for the security screening process.”

Across the country, TSA expects to screen 14.25 million passengers and crew between September 1, 2023, and September 6, 2023, which is an 11% increase over 2022.

Furthermore, travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck® wait less than 10 minutes during the screening process.

As of September 2, 2023, national airport checkpoint screening statistics are available at www.tsa.gov/travel/passenger-volumes, showing an increase from 2019.

Aug 31, 2023 • 11:34 am CDT
WHO polio vaccinations Aug. 31, 2023

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced the initiation of the second round of polio vaccinations in six provinces within the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

The WHO's goal is to ensure every child in the selected provinces.

These vaccinations are essential since five wild poliovirus type 1 cases were confirmed in Afghanistan in August 2023.

Although the number of positive samples in Afghanistan increased in 2023 compared to the year 2022, this was partly due to more intensive surveillance in the country, stated the WHO on August 25, 2023.

The WHO's International Travel and Health also recommends that all travelers to polio-affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio.

Residents (and visitors for more than four weeks) from infected areas should receive an additional dose of OPV or inactivated polio vaccine within four weeks to 12 months of travel.

As of September 2023, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is focusing on reaching every last child in Afghanistan with vaccines, strengthening surveillance, and maintaining political commitment, financial resources, and technical support at all levels.

Aug 31, 2023 • 10:21 am CDT
Dallas County mosquito map August 31, 2023

The Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) recently reported additional Dengue and West Nile virus (WNV) cases, as Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are currently circulating in the area.

As of Week #34, ending August 26, 2023, DCHHS reported that one hundred eighty-eight mosquito traps tested positive for WNV.

And 15 human WNV cases and one human death have been reported in 2023.

Additionally, four travel-related Dengue cases have been reported this year in Dallas.

"It's important for people to be aware that there are many diseases transmitted by mosquitoes found in Texas," said Texas DSHS Commissioner Jennifer Shuford, MD, MPH, in a July 2023 press release

"Most of these diseases cause mild illness, but in rare instances, diseases like dengue or Zika can cause severe illness."

To service residents, DCHHS provides free or low-cost public health and social services to low-income residents of Dallas County.

Philip Huang, MD, MPH, DCHHS's Director, says Dallas County has been at the forefront of the local response to major public health issues and emergencies, including Dengue, Mpox, West Nile, and Zika viruses.

Throughout the U.S., West Nile virus has been detected in 36 states, mainly in the southwest.

And the state of Florida has reported both travel-related and locally acquired dengue cases in 2023.

Aug 29, 2023 • 3:30 pm CDT
GAVI cholera vaccinations August 2023

Gavi announced today that the Republic of Kenya Kenya surpassed its target of vaccinating 1.59 million people during a 10-day oral cholera vaccine (OCV) campaign conducted in early August 2023.

Speaking in Nairobi on August 28, 2023, the Acting head of the Health Ministry's Disease Surveillance and Response Unit, Dr. Emmanuel, said in a media statement the OCV campaign was in response to a Kenyan cholera outbreak, which was first reported in October 2022 and has so far resulted in 11,872 cases and 196 deaths across Kenya.

"The case fatality rate of the cholera outbreak stands at 1.7%, underscoring the severity of the situation," he said.

However, recent cholera epidemics in different parts of the world have far exceeded that standard, with the average case fatality rates across outbreaks in 2021 standing at 1.9% globally and 2.9% in Africa.

The World Health Organization calls for access to adequate life-saving treatment to maintain case fatality rates below 1%, achievable when appropriate interventions are deployed.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed a recent, unprecedented global increase in cholera outbreaks, such as in Haiti. However, nearly all cholera cases reported in the U.S. are acquired during international travel.

Aug 28, 2023 • 4:31 pm CDT
US CDC dengue map 2023

During the summer of 2023, the European CDC reported autochthonous / non-travel-associated dengue cases in Europe, from France and Italy.

Following investigations carried out by Bouches-du-Rhône, two new cases of autochthonous Dengue were identified in Gardanne. There are now 4 cases in France this year.

In the French Antilles, Martinique and Guadeloupe have entered an epidemic phase, as mentioned by Santé Publique France in an August 2023 press release.

Dengue cases have also been reported in Réunion and French Guiana this year.

On 18 and 20 August 2023, unrelated to travel, two confirmed cases of Dengue were reported by the Lombardy and the Lazio Regions in Italy. As of July 2023, 47 confirmed dengue cases were associated with overseas travel.

As of late August 2023, the U.S. CDC continues alerting international travelers of their health risks when visiting dengue outbreak areas. The CDC says that dengue is spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. 

Aug 28, 2023 • 5:56 am CDT
US CDC Bangladesh travel vaccinations August 2023

According to media reports, the Dengue outbreak in Bangladesh accelerated in August 2023.

The Dhaka Tribune reported on August 26, 2023, that Bangladesh had its worst day ever for Dengue, with nine deaths and 1,960 hospitalized in a day.

This news increases Bangladesh's total number of dengue-related deaths to 537 in 2023.

Dengue is endemic in Bangladesh, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. 

The World Health Organization says Dengue is the fastest-spreading mosquito-borne infectious disease and has emerged as a global public health problem. 

As of August 28, 2023, two approved and various Dengue vaccine candidates are in development.

In addition to the ongoing Dengue outbreak, the U.S. CDC suggests various travel vaccines before visiting Bangladesh in 2023.

Aug 27, 2023 • 1:30 pm CDT
US Dept of State August 27, 2023

The U.S. Department of State reissued its unclassified travel advisory regarding extensive civil unrest throughout the United States of Mexico.

On August 22, 2023, the State Department reported it has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted.

In many Mexican states, local emergency services are limited outside the state capital or major cities, including Cancun.

Furthermore, U.S. government employees may not travel between cities after dark, may not hail taxis on the street, and must rely on dispatched vehicles, including app-based services like Uber and regulated taxi stands.

U.S. government employees should avoid traveling alone, especially in remote areas. U.S. government employees may not drive from the U.S.-Mexico border to or from the interior parts of Mexico, except daytime travel within Baja California and between Nogales and Hermosillo on Mexican Federal Highway 15D, and between Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey on Highway 85D.

From a health perspective, several disease outbreaks have been reported in 2023, and the U.S. CDC suggests various pre-trip vaccinations.

Aug 27, 2023 • 11:40 am CDT
WHO Africa cholera cases August 2023

The ongoing, multi-country cholera outbreak was recently confirmed to impact African countries significantly.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Region reported for Epidemiologic Week #31, seven African countries, Burundi, Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, and Zimbabwe reported 328 new cholera cases.

Cholera can kill people within hours when not treated, but immediate access to treatment saves lives.

Since January 2022, a cumulative number of 223,951 cholera cases has been reported to the WHO, including 4,125 deaths, with a case-fatality ratio of 1.8% as of early August 2023.

Based on the large number of cholera outbreaks and their geographic expansion, as well as a lack of oral cholera vaccines and other resources, the WHO continues to assess the risk at the global level as very high, as most cases are not reported.

The U.S. CDC previously confirmed an unprecedented global increase in cholera outbreaks in 2022 and 2023.

Nearly all cholera cases reported in the U.S. are acquired during international travel. The CDC's Clinician Outreach and Communication alert in 2023 identified Cholera as an acute intestinal infection that spreads through food and water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, often from feces. With safe water and sanitation, Cholera can be prevented.

As of August 27, 2023, access to cholera vaccines is constrained globally.

Aug 24, 2023 • 4:10 pm CDT
Bird flu case map in Finland August 24, 2023

The Republic of Finland recently reported another H5N1 avian influenza outbreak at a fur farm involving blue foxes. This outbreak, reported by EuroNews on August 24, 2023, increases the number of 'bird flu' outbreaks at such farms to 23.

In June 2023, several outbreaks of H5N1 were identified among larids in Finland. The first cases in fur farms were detected in July.

Given these findings, the Finnish authorities decided to cull 120,000 foxes and mink on farms affected by the epidemic.

Finland is Europe's leading producer of fox fur, with around 400 fur farms. For example, FashionFinFur is owned by a fur-farming family in Vörå, Finland, that has been In the business since the 1980s.

In the northern hemisphere, bird flu outbreaks among birds, mammals, and people continue in 2023.

As of August 2023, access to bird flu vaccines is controlled by government agencies.