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WHO TAG-CO-VAC reviews COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness and antigen composition

The WHO Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC) continues to closely monitor the genetic and antigenic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants, immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination, and the performance of COVID-19 vaccines against circulating variants.

24 Dec 2024

New insights into respiratory syncytial virus and prevention strategies

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory infections, particularly in infants, children under 5 years, and older adults. Its rapid spread makes RSV a serious public health concern. Currently, there are no effective medications for RSV, and current treatment focuses on providing supportive care and preventing its spread.

20 Dec 2024

Global study reports significant decline in diarrheal disease mortality

New global study reports a 60% drop in global mortality from diarrheal diseases, but children and the elderly still have the highest death rates, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

19 Dec 2024

Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’

Many of President-elect Donald Trump's candidates for federal health agencies have promoted policies and goals that put them at odds with one another or with Trump's choice to run the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., setting the stage for internal friction over public health initiatives.

17 Dec 2024

Breakthrough discovery could lead to effective vaccine for S. aureus

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a major cause of skin and soft tissue infections that can sometimes lead to sepsis and toxic shock syndrome.

16 Dec 2024

WHO urges equitable action to end malaria burden

New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal that an estimated 2.2 billion cases of malaria and 12.7 million deaths have been averted since 2000, but the disease remains a serious global health threat, particularly in the WHO African Region.

11 Dec 2024

New vaccine approach shows promise against Hepatitis C

Globally, approximately 58 million people are chronically infected with HCV, resulting in 290,000 annual deaths due to complications such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

6 Dec 2024

How measles, whooping cough, and worse could roar back on RFK Jr.’s watch

The availability of safe, effective covid vaccines less than a year into the pandemic marked a high point in the 300-year history of vaccination, seemingly heralding an age of protection against infectious diseases.

6 Dec 2024

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein found lingering in brain regions

Researchers find that SARS-CoV-2 spike protein persists in the skull-meninges-brain axis, driving neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and heightened vulnerability to brain injuries.

3 Dec 2024

Pregnancy strengthens immune defense against flu, study finds

McGill University scientists have discovered that pregnancy may trigger a natural immunity to boost protection against severe flu infection.

2 Dec 2024

Late-liver-stage malaria vaccine delivers 89% protection and boosts cellular immunity

Genetically attenuated malaria parasites with extended liver-stage arrest (GA2) showed 89% protection in a clinical trial, surpassing earlier vaccine candidates and highlighting the potential of cellular immunity.

26 Nov 2024

WHO grants Emergency Use Listing for LC16m8 mpox vaccine

The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for the LC16m8 mpox vaccine, making it the second mpox vaccine to be supported by WHO following the Director-General's declaration of an mpox public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on 14 August 2024.

19 Nov 2024

New nasal vaccine could help stop the spread of whooping cough

As whooping cough cases rise in the U.S., a new nasal vaccine developed by Tulane University may hold the key to reducing the spread of the highly contagious respiratory disease.

19 Nov 2024

Measles outbreaks increase worldwide with inadequate immunization coverage

Worldwide, there were an estimated 10.3 million cases of measles in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022, according to new estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Inadequate immunization coverage globally is driving the surge in cases.

14 Nov 2024

Maternal RSV vaccination timing optimizes newborn immunity through improved antibody transfer

Maternal RSV vaccination enhances antibody transfer to newborns, with optimal transfer efficiency observed when given at least five weeks before delivery.

14 Nov 2024

Inequities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage for older adults highlighted in global study

Researchers provide a global overview of COVID-19 vaccination programs among the elderly.

13 Nov 2024

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine provides strong protection against MIS-C in children aged 5–17

Research indicates the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine effectively reduces MIS-C incidence in children, supporting vaccination as a critical public health measure.

12 Nov 2024

Cleveland Clinic presents new findings on triple-negative breast cancer vaccine

Cleveland Clinic researchers are presenting updated findings from their novel study of a vaccine aimed at preventing triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive and lethal form of the disease.

8 Nov 2024

Gaza completes second round of polio vaccination campaign despite conflict barriers

The second round of the polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip was completed yesterday, with an overall 556 774 children under the age of 10 being vaccinated with a second dose of polio vaccine, and 448 425 children between 2- to 10-years-old receiving vitamin A, following the three phases conducted in the last weeks.

6 Nov 2024

How a ketogenic diet could reduce autoimmune disease severity through host-microbiome interactions

This study uncovers the ketogenic diet's effects on the microbiome, revealing its potential to mitigate autoimmune diseases through metabolic pathways.