Hidden mpox exposure detected in healthy Nigerian adults, revealing under-recognised transmission.
University of Cambridge The mpox virus appears to be circulating silently in parts of Nigeria, in many cases without the symptoms typically associated with the disease, according to new research led by scientists from the University of Cambridge and partners in Nigeria. The findings may have implications for controlling the spread of the disease.
Published: January 21, 2026.
CEPI backs updated Zaire ebolavirus vaccine that aims to improve vaccine affordability and accessibility.
A vaccine used to help protect against Zaire ebolavirus – one of the world’s most severe infectious diseases – could become more affordable and easier to deploy in low-resource settings thanks to a new collaboration between CEPI and MSD. Backed by up to $30 million in CEPI funding, MSD will leverage Hilleman Laboratories, a joint venture of MSD and Wellcome, to develop an Ebola vaccine with an updated manufacturing process that is designed to help make the vaccine more affordable and accessible for low- and middle-income countries.
Published: January 21, 2026.
Shingles Vaccine Linked to Slower Biological Aging, Study Finds.
The findings suggest that the vaccine may have “broad” and lingering effects on “aging-related processes,” according to the authors, gerontologists Jung Ki Kim and Eileen Crimmins from the University of Southern California.
Published: January 22, 2026.
https://www.sciencealert.com/shingles-vaccine-linked-to-slower-biological-aging-study-finds
Not all vaccines fight infections. An experimental fentanyl shot shows why.
From classic toxoid vaccines to experimental shots targeting cancer and addiction, vaccines are steadily expanding beyond their traditional role of preventing infectious disease. The fentanyl vaccine works by attaching fentanyl-like molecules to a larger carrier protein, training the immune system to recognize the drug and generate antibodies that bind fentanyl before it can reach the brain.
Published: January 22, 2026.
Neglected tropical diseases: the need for an integrated approach to achieve the 2030 roadmap.
Neglected tropical diseases are ancient maladies that continue to disproportionately affect more than one billion of the world’s poorest people. In 2021, as part of its strategy to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the World Health Organization renewed its commitment to end their neglect by 2030. On World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day 2026, we discuss the need for an integrated approach to overcome the “last mile” barriers to achieving their eradication and elimination.
Published: January 31, 2026.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-69020-z
Ending neglected diseases requires partners willing to go where markets won’t.
An IAVI Statement on World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day 2026.
Published: January 29, 2026.
https://www.iavi.org/features/iavi-statement-on-world-neglected-tropical-diseases-ntds-day-2026/
WHO: Nipah virus infection – India.
On 26 January 2026, the National IHR Focal Point for India notified WHO of two laboratoryconfirmed cases of Nipah virus (NiV) infection in West Bengal State. Both are healthcare workers at the same private hospital in Barasat (North 24 Parganas district). NiV infection was confirmed at the National Institute of Virology in Pune on 13 January. One case remains on mechanical ventilation as of 21 January, the other case experienced severe neurological illness but has since improved.
Published: January 30, 2026.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON593
New dashboard helps predict and plan for disease outbreaks.
A new tool developed by UC San Diego with UNICEF and New Light Technologies helps Peru and Brazil anticipate dengue and malaria, plan resources and lay the groundwork for global expansion. The researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy have designed the new platform to translate academic disease forecasting into actionable guidance for decision-makers. The Disease Incidence and Resource Estimator (DIRE) is an interactive map using geospatial predictive analytics that shows where dengue and malaria outbreaks are likely to occur—and what health resources may be needed to control and treat them.
Published: February 1, 2026.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-dashboard-disease-outbreaks.html
Valneva and Instituto Butantan Announce Initiation of a Pilot Vaccination Campaign in Brazil with Single-Shot Chikungunya Vaccine IXCHIQ®.
Valneva and Instituto Butantan have announced the initiation of a pilot vaccination campaign in Brazil, conducted in the absence of an active outbreak, using the single-dose chikungunya vaccine Ixchiq®. The campaign targets approximately 500,000 adults aged 18–59 years.
Published: February 3, 2026.
Fortune Business Insights: Poultry Vaccines Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Technology Source.
The global poultry vaccines market size was valued at USD 1.32 billion in 2025. The market is projected to grow from USD 1.38 billion in 2026 to USD 2.38 billion by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.99% during the forecast period. North America dominated the poultry vaccines market with a market share of 46.11% in 2025. The poultry vaccines market is witnessing a significant growth trajectory during the forecast period. The rising demand for poultry products and rising incidences of infectious diseases such as avian influenza, Newcastle disease, and infectious bronchitis have heightened the need for effective vaccination strategies.
Published: January 19, 2026.
https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/poultry-vaccines-market-113875
Reuters: PAHO calls for increased surveillance amid rising measles cases in the Americas.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on Wednesday called for intensifying epidemiological surveillance and vaccination, as a widening outbreak led to a spike in measles cases across the Americas. The agency’s alert comes after cases and outbreaks across several countries in the region, amid a sustained rise in measles infections in 2025 compared with the previous five years, a trend that appears to be continuing.
Published: February 4, 2026.
WHO Confirms Loss of Measles Elimination Status in Spain and UK.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has removed the designation of “eliminated endemic measles transmission” from both Spain and the United Kingdom, reflecting a resurgence of the highly contagious disease across the WHO European Region. The change affects multiple countries after independent expert review of surveillance data showed sustained or renewed transmission that no longer met the criteria for elimination.
Published: January 27, 2026.
Malawi under public health emergency after polio virus resurgence in Lilongwe.
The halls of Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe were crowded with concerned parents this Huwebes, as news of a polio resurgence spread through the capital. The Malawian government officially declared the outbreak on Pebrero 3, after samples confirmed the presence of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2. Among the confirmed cases is an eight-year-old girl, a stark reminder that the virus remains a threat years after it was thought to be contained.
Published: February 6, 2026.
UNICEF: Preventive cholera vaccination resumes as global supply reaches critical milestone.
First preventive campaign in over three years launches in Mozambique, with others planned in Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Published: February 4, 2026.
WHO: Four in ten cancer cases could be prevented globally.
Up to four in ten cancer cases worldwide could be prevented, according to a new global analysis from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Three cancer types – lung, stomach and cervical cancer – accounted for nearly half of all preventable cancer cases in both men and women, globally, the latter prevented by a vaccine.
Published: February 3, 2026.
Gavi: Malaria researchers are getting closer to outsmarting the world’s deadliest parasite.
After decades of stalled progress, new vaccines, treatments and genetic tools are helping scientists protect children and save lives worldwide.
Published: January 28, 2026.
Bilinski A. Why It Is Unethical Not to Conduct Randomized Trials in Pregnancy. JAMA. 2026 Feb 9. doi: 10.1001/jama.2026.0805.
Editorial comment: This Viewpoint highlights the urgent need to establish systematic and standardized processes for evaluating the safety and efficacy of medications during pregnancy. In particular, it argues for the routine inclusion of pregnant individuals in randomized clinical trials (RCTs), rather than the current reliance on observational data collected after widespread clinical use. The authors discuss how the exclusion of pregnant populations from RCTs has led to persistent evidence gaps, delayed guidance, and uncertainty in clinical decision-making. They further emphasize that ethically designed and carefully monitored trials are essential to generate robust, timely data that can better inform treatment recommendations, improve maternal and fetal outcomes, and reduce inequities in drug development and regulatory approval.
Sanofi: Press Release: Sanofi completes the acquisition of Dynavax.
Sanofi today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Dynavax Technologies Corporation (Dynavax). The acquisition includes Dynavax’s adult hepatitis B vaccine HEPLISAV-B, which is currently marketed in the US and is differentiated by its two-dose regimen over one month. It also includes Dynavax’s shingles vaccine candidate (Z-1018), which is currently in phase 1/2 studies, and additional vaccine pipeline projects.
Published: February 10, 2026.
https://www.sanofi.com/en/media-room/press-releases/2026/2026-02-10-14-00-56-3235419
PAHO: Chikungunya cases increasing in several countries in the Americas; PAHO recommends preparedness.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has issued an epidemiological alert following a sustained increase in chikungunya cases in several countries in the Americas since late 2025 and into early 2026. The alert also highlights the re-emergence of local transmission in areas that had not reported virus circulation in several years.
Published: February 11, 2026.
Making Ebola Vaccines refrigerator-ready for Africa’s next crisis.
Hilleman Laboratories is stepping into a critical gap in global epidemic preparedness, and its latest work on a more deployable Ebola vaccine could be a game-changer for Africa and other vulnerable regions.
Published: February 13, 2026.
African leaders launch ACHIEVE Africa during AU Summit to drive vaccine research, development, and self-reliance.
H.E. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, announces the official launch of a five-year, US$100+ million initiative to accelerate Africa’s end-to-end vaccine and biologics R&D ecosystem.
Published: February 15, 2026.
Uganda: Anthrax outbreak in Lyantonde District results in 4 deaths.
The Uganda Ministry of Health has confirmed an anthrax outbreak in Lyantonde District in southern Central Uganda, according to a local media report.
Published: February 15, 2026.
https://outbreaknewstoday.substack.com/p/uganda-anthrax-outbreak-in-lyantonde
Anti-Marburg antibody from Vanderbilt Health sent to Ethiopia during outbreak.
There currently are no approved treatments or vaccines to protect against the infection, which can cause internal bleeding, organ failure, and in roughly 50% of cases, death.
Published: February 13, 2026.
WHO prequalifies an additional novel oral polio vaccine, strengthening global outbreak response.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has prequalified an additional novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), further strengthening the global supply of a vaccine at the heart of efforts to stop poliovirus type 2 outbreaks more sustainably and accelerate progress towards polio eradication.
Published: February 13, 2026.
https://www.who.int/news/item/13-02-2026-who-prequalifies-additional-novel-oral-polio-vaccine
WHO: Statement on the planned hepatitis B birth dose vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau.
Based on questions raised in publicly available information and consultation with relevant experts, WHO has significant concerns regarding the study’s scientific justification, ethical safeguards, and overall alignment with established principles for research involving human participants.
Published: February 13, 2026.
Up-to-date evidence-based information on emerging vaccines in pregnancy and childhood.
A regularly updated, comprehensive database and synthesis of published literature related to COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy through a living systematic review and meta-analyses.
Published: Updated regularly.
https://www.safeinpregnancy.org/
$70.5 Million Funds Dengue Vaccination Campaign in Brazil.
To help reduce the number of Dengue fever infections, the Brazilian Ministry of Health recently launched a nationwide vaccination campaign targeting approximately 1.2 million frontline healthcare professionals.
Published: February 16, 2026.
https://www.vax-before-travel.com/2026/02/16/705-million-funds-dengue-vaccination-campaign-brazil
Excruciating tropical disease can now be transmitted in most of Europe.
Shocking’ data shows the climate crisis and invasive mosquitos mean chikungunya could spread in 29 countries. Higher temperatures due to the climate crisis mean infections are now possible for more than six months of the year in Spain, Greece and other southern European countries, and for two months a year in south-east England. Continuing global heating means it is only a matter of time before the disease expands further northwards.
Published: February 18, 2026.
Reliefweb: Epidemic and emerging disease alerts in the Pacific as of 17 February 2026, emphasis on dengue.
Published: February 17, 2026.
https://reliefweb.int/map/world/epidemic-and-emerging-disease-alerts-pacific-17-february-2026
WHO: Mpox: recombinant virus with genomic elements of clades Ib and IIb – Global.
Recombination of monkeypox virus (MPXV) strains has been documented in recent months, with two cases of a recombinant strain comprising clade Ib and IIb MPXV reported. Recombination is a known natural process that can occur when two related viruses infecting the same individual exchange genetic material, producing a new virus. The first case was detected in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereafter “United Kingdom”), with travel history to a country in South-East Asia, and the second in India, with travel history to a country in the Arabian Peninsula.
Published: February 14, 2026.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON595
