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In this issue:
Burkina Faso introduces TCV
In January, Burkina Faso introduced typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) into its routine immunization program, starting with a campaign to vaccinate 10 million children aged 9 months to 14 years (French). In just one week, the campaign reached 10.5 million children across the country. TCV is now routinely available to children in Burkina Faso at their 9-month immunization visit.
Prior to introduction, Burkina Faso had more than 97,000 cases and 1,500 deaths due to typhoid each year, with 75% of cases in children younger than 15 years old. The introduction of TCV is expected to save lives and reduce the burden of missed school days, missed work, and the cost of treatment for families. Burkina Faso is the fourth African country—and the first in Francophone Africa—to introduce TCV, joining Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Liberia in taking this key step forward to protect children from typhoid.
Robust immune response to TCV booster in Malawi
The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends a single dose of TCV. When the WHO reconvenes its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts working group on Immunization, they will weigh a range of factors when considering whether to revise the current recommendation, including typhoid incidence, drug resistance, and the peak age of infection, among others.
Data from a new study in Malawi show a robust booster response to TCV at five years of age. This is the first study to evaluate long-term immunogenicity of TCV in Africa and the first to examine a booster dose four years after initial TCV vaccination at 9-11 months of age (French). These data, along with data on local typhoid epidemiology, drug resistance, logistical considerations, and cost-effectiveness, inform policy decision-making and—along with studies in additional settings—are crucial for evaluating vaccination schedules for countries introducing TCV into routine immunization programs.
Resources on typhoid intestinal perforations
Typhoid intestinal perforation (TIP) is a severe and life-threatening complication of typhoid that results in holes (perforations) in the intestines. Patients with TIP require immediate surgery to repair the perforation(s). Cases have a high fatality rate and are costly to families given the high rate of perioperative complications and longer hospital stays. TIP is increasingly recognized as a key indicator of typhoid burden, particularly in countries that do not conduct routine blood culture diagnostics. Visit the new Take on Typhoid web page with information about TIP.
Dr. Laura Hobbs, Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, presented preliminary data at the 20th Annual Academic Surgical Conference on a study of pediatric TIP across six African countries. TIP was the most common complication among hospitalized typhoid patients. TIP data, alongside other burden data, can support government decisions about TCV introduction.
Congratulations Kiribati!
In December 2024, Kiribati launched a typhoid vaccination campaign. With support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia, and UNICEF, typhoid vaccines were distributed across the country in efforts to control the spread of typhoid.
Outbreak reports
A typhoid outbreak has been reported in Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, with 14 confirmed cases this year. Most cases are concentrated in the central-eastern and northeastern areas, affecting vulnerable populations.
The Republic of Kiribati, an island country in the central Pacific Ocean, has reported an ongoing typhoid outbreak since June 2024. In October 2024, the Ministry of Health & Medical Services, Public Health Department, reported four new suspected typhoid cases and one new confirmed case. Since June, Kiribati has reported 112 cases, with 21 requiring hospitalization.
| Blogs | |
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| Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a booster dose of a typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) in Malawian pre-school children
Visit our publications page for more recent research |
Can better diagnostics improve typhoid prevention and treatment?
Robust immune response to typhoid booster vaccination at five years in Malawi [English] [Français] The journey of a vaccine: from production to protection Reaching 10 million children in Burkina Faso with TCVs [English] [Français] Previous posts available on the blog |
