See past issues in our Newsletter Archives
In this issue:
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- Reflections from 2024
- Congratulations Dr. Qadri!
- Cost of typhoid conjugate vaccine introduction in Malawi
- Time to take on drug-resistant typhoid
- Informations concernant les perforations intestinales dues à la typhoïde (PIT) au Niger
- Learn more about typhoid intestinal perforations in Niger
- TyVAC at meetings and conferences
- Outbreak reports
- Scientific publications
- Blogs
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Reflections from 2024
In the past eight years, the Typhoid Vaccine Acceleration Consortium (TyVAC) has navigated an ever-changing world to reach more than 64 million children with typhoid conjugate vaccines (TCV). Five countries have introduced TCV with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and three more countries introduced with partner support. We now have more data and evidence about typhoid and TCV, including immunogenicity and duration of protection. At the same time, we have a deeper understanding of the burden of typhoid intestinal perforations and the evolution of drug-resistant typhoid. The urgency for typhoid prevention and control has never been stronger. There are four WHO prequalified TCVs; two are available with support from Gavi. As we celebrate the end of 2024 and welcome in 2025, TyVAC project director Matthew Laurens reflects on the strides we’ve made and the work to come.
Congratulations Dr. Qadri!
TyVAC is honored to work with Dr. Firdausi Qadri of icddr,b, recipient of the 2024 VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators from Developing Countries. This prestigious award highlights her contributions to the development and introduction of affordable vaccines, including TCVs.
Cost of typhoid conjugate vaccine introduction in Malawi
Understanding the cost of TCV introduction can inform financial sustainability of a TCV program and support decision-making and strategies for implementation. TyVAC recently published a study on the cost to deliver TCV through an integrated campaign and through routine immunization in Malawi. Malawi conducted an integrated TCV campaign with measles-rubella vaccine, bivalent oral polio vaccine, and vitamin A supplementation in 2023, and vaccinates all 9-month-olds with TCV in routine immunization. Overall, the cost per dose in the integrated campaign was comparable to other integrated campaigns and lower than the reported cost to deliver TCV in single antigen campaigns in India and Zimbabwe. Integrated campaigns may present an opportunity to introduce new vaccines–such as TCV–at a lower cost of delivery. Concurrently, it is important to consider challenges with integration, such as the additional demands on health care workers.
Time to take on drug-resistant typhoid
The rates of multi- and extensively-drug resistant typhoid have grown during the past 50 years and azithromycin-resistant typhoid has been identified in three countries. A modeling study published earlier this year by the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance Project, a partnership between the University of Oxford and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, used more than 600 data sources to estimate the overall number of drug-resistant and drug-susceptible infections per year. The model shows global trends in drug-resistant enteric fever, revealing patterns in multidrug-resistant typhoid that emerged in the 1990s and increased rapidly, accounting for more than 50% of all typhoid infections in 2019. Drug resistance is driving the urgency to introduce TCVs (English, Français) and improve access to safe water and sanitation to prevent and control typhoid.
Informations concernant les perforations intestinales dues à la typhoïde (PIT) au Niger
Des chirurgiens ainsi que d’autres médecins et professionnels de la santé se sont réunis pour la première conférence nationale sur la typhoïde à Niamey au Niger. Le rapport de cette réunion est désormais disponible. Cette réunion historique a rassemblé des professionnels de la santé locaux et internationaux afin d’échanger sur la perforation intestinale due à la typhoïde (PIT), et de favoriser l’amélioration de la prévention ainsi que du traitement de la typhoïde. En Afrique, les PIT nécessitent souvent un traitement chirurgical en urgence, avec des taux de mortalité signalés allant jusqu’à 30 % chez les patients pédiatriques. L’efficacité et la sûreté du vaccin antityphoïdique conjugué, associées au soutien financier de Gavi, l’Alliance du Vaccin, permettent de prévenir et d’endiguer facilement la typhoïde grâce à la vaccination.
Learn more about typhoid intestinal perforations in Niger
Surgeons joined other medical and health professionals for the first National Typhoid Conference in Niamey, Niger, and the meeting report is now available. This historic meeting convened local and international health professionals to discuss typhoid intestinal perforation (TIP) and advocate for better prevention and treatment of typhoid. In Africa, TIP often results in emergency surgery and has reported mortality rates up to 30% in pediatric patients. Safe and effective TCV, coupled with financial support from Gavi, makes prevention through vaccination an effective way to take on typhoid.
TyVAC at meetings and conferences
Recent meetings and conferences have provided ample opportunity to share the latest information on typhoid prevention and control. In October, representatives from African countries gathered for a WHO-hosted meeting on outbreak response, where TyVAC discussed typhoid and TCV. At the ASTMH annual meeting in November, TyVAC partners presented on TCV safety in HIV-exposed, uninfected children; longer-term protection in Bangladesh and Nepal; and typhoid intestinal perforations in Niger. Sabin Vaccine Institute organized a symposium highlighting advancements in typhoid surveillance and low-cost, scalable tools to estimate disease burden in settings where blood-culture-based methods are not feasible. At an African Regional Meeting in Kinshasa, researchers and representatives from across Africa conducted sessions on typhoid burden, TCVs, and progress with TCV introduction in the region. Lastly, TyVAC participated in the 17th Asian Scientific Conference on Diarrheal Disease and Nutrition in December, with the theme, “Emerging Enteric Infections and Impact of Climate Change.”
Outbreak reports
On the central Pacific island nation of Kiribati, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services’ Public Health Department reported four new suspected typhoid cases and one newly confirmed positive case between 8-22 October 2024. Since June 5th, 112 cases have been identified, including 23 laboratory-confirmed cases and 89 suspected cases, with 21 individuals requiring hospitalization.
The capital city of Belém, located in the northern Brazilian state of Pará, recorded a 300% surge in typhoid fever cases in 2024. Between January and October, 16 confirmed cases were reported—four times the total recorded in 2023 (4 cases) and surpassing the figures from 2022 (5 cases).
| Blogs | |
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| TyVAC Gateway, Gates Open Research
Surgical complications of typhoid fever: First National Typhoid Conference in Niamey, Niger Typhoid conjugate vaccine implementation in India: A review of supportive evidence Visit our publications page for more recent research |
Navigating change as we take on typhoid
What does it cost to deliver TCV in Malawi? Testing the waters – New surveillance methods for typhoid detection in Cote d’Ivoire [English] [Français] Evolving trends in drug resistance in Bangladesh Drug resistance drives urgency for typhoid conjugate vaccines [English] [Français] Time to take action with TCV in India How can Zimbabwe mitigate the risk of typhoid amid a drought? What have we learned from a 5-year-long study on typhoid conjugate vaccination in Bangladesh? Previous posts available on the blog |
