Disis ML, Chun BMN, Dhillon KK, Liao JB, Hunter N, Cecil DL. Vaccines for Cancer: A Translational Science Review. JAMA. 2026 Sep 21.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2026.15540
Editorial comment: Cancer vaccines are entering a new era, driven by advances in tumor immunology, neoantigen discovery, mRNA platforms, and personalized medicine. Beyond established therapeutic vaccines, emerging strategies—particularly combinations with checkpoint inhibitors—are showing encouraging results in cancers such as melanoma and prostate cancer. The field is rapidly evolving from treating established disease toward preventing recurrence and, potentially, cancer itself, positioning vaccination as an increasingly important component of precision oncology.
Wiggins J, Madapong A, Weaver E. Systemic and Mucosal Immune Responses From Serotype-Switched Viral-Vectored Ebola Vaccines. J Med Virol. 2026 Sep;98(9):e71161.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.71161
Editorial comment: Adenoviral-vectored Ebola vaccines may offer promising strategies to broaden and strengthen protection against this highly lethal disease. In mice, Ad5 and Ad6 vectors generated the strongest GP-specific antibody responses, while serotype-switching further enhanced humoral immunity. Importantly, the route of administration shaped the immune response: intramuscular vaccination induced robust systemic antibody and T-cell responses, whereas intranasal delivery generated mucosal IgA but limited detectable cellular immunity. These findings highlight how vector selection, vaccination sequence, and delivery route can substantially influence Ebola vaccine performance and support further evaluation in protective challenge models.
Espinal C, Becerra-Posada F, Sanmartín JL, dos Santos T, Gutiérrez G, Coronell W, Siqueira JB Jr., Sáez-Llorens X, Uboldi A, Gatti E, et al. Toward an Integrated Response to Arboviral Threats in the Americas: Perspectives from the Dengue Summit of the Global Health Conference of the Americas 2025. Pathogens. 2026; 15(10):1019.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15101019
Editorial comment: Dengue has reached unprecedented levels in the Americas, with more than 13 million cases reported in 2024 alone. Promising tools—including new-generation vaccines such as TAK-003 and Butantan-DV, Wolbachia-based vector control, digital surveillance, and climate-informed forecasting—are reshaping prevention. Notably, large-scale Wolbachia deployment in Colombia was associated with >90% reductions in dengue incidence in areas where it became established. The path forward is clear: dengue control will require integrated strategies combining vaccination, innovative vector control, surveillance, community engagement, and stronger health systems.
Rumgay H, Georges D, Huang Y, Hirabayashi M, Shah R, de Martel C, Park JY, Soerjomataram I, Clifford GM. Global burden of cancer attributable to infections in 2024: a worldwide incidence analysis. Lancet Oncol. 2026 Oct;27(10):1237-1248.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00307-4
Editorial comment: Infections remain a major—and often preventable—cause of cancer. In 2024, an estimated 2.3 million new cancer cases worldwide (12% of all cancers) were attributable to infectious agents. H. pylori and HPV accounted for approximately 760,000 and 750,000 cases, respectively, followed by HBV (360,000), EBV (260,000), and HCV (160,000).
These findings reinforce a powerful but sometimes overlooked role of vaccination: vaccines are also cancer-prevention tools. HPV and HBV vaccines already prevent infections responsible for hundreds of thousands of cancers, yet their full potential remains limited by inadequate coverage and inequitable access. Expanding vaccination, together with screening, diagnosis, and treatment of carcinogenic infections, could substantially reduce the global cancer burden.
The message is compelling: preventing infection today can mean preventing cancer decades later.
Bähner F, Faust SN, Davies LRL, Blokhina O, Brandon DM, Smith WB, Chatterjee VKK, Hassanin H, Babu TM, Zuiani A, Steinhauser S, Poran A, Brittain C, Mucker E, Hooper JW, van der Most RG, Alonso PL, Türeci Ö, Mensa FJ, Şahin U. Safety and immunogenicity of mRNA-based mpox vaccine candidate BNT166a: an open-label, dose-escalation, first-in-human trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2026 Oct;26(10):1045-1057.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(26)00177-5
Editorial comment: BNT166a, a novel quadrivalent mRNA vaccine targeting four monkeypox virus antigens, showed a favorable safety and immunogenicity profile in this first-in-human phase 1 trial. Two doses generated 100% seroresponse to all four encoded antigens, with binding antibodies persisting for 12 months. Neutralizing responses against MPXV clade IIb were also demonstrated, although they waned over time. These early findings support further clinical development and highlight the potential of multivalent mRNA platforms as a scalable next-generation approach to mpox prevention.
Pley C, Jeffries DJ, Kanteh E, Strandmark J, Baldeh AK, Leigh MN, Ndow P, Clarke E, Kampmann B. Yellow fever vaccination in healthy Gambian children of different ages to establish safety and immunogenicity of a booster dose: a open-label, non-randomised, single-site, phase 3 vaccine trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2026 Oct;26(10):1070-1078.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(26)00193-3
Editorial comment: A phase 3 trial in The Gambia raises important questions about the durability of yellow fever protection after infant vaccination. Among 589 children, baseline neutralizing antibody seropositivity declined to 65–67% in children aged 4–9 years, compared with 82% in younger children. After a booster, 99% were seropositive, with no vaccine-related serious adverse events. These findings suggest that immunity acquired in infancy may wane earlier than expected and support further evaluation of whether—and when—yellow fever boosters should be considered for children in endemic settings.
Onofrio I, Belcher T, Quinn ME, Lupoli E, Freslov T, Owen N, Dissanayake SN, Grudzein LA, Freixeiro P, Rollier CS and MacLennan CA. A candidate gonococcal outer membrane vesicle vaccine which induces persistent immunity in three genetically distinct species of mouse and is similarly immunogenic when formulated with and without aluminum adjuvant. Front. Immunol. 2026 Oct;17:1923399.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1923399
Editorial comment: With multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae becoming an increasing global threat, the need for a specific gonococcal vaccine is growing. GonoVac, a native outer membrane vesicle (nOMV) vaccine candidate, induced robust and durable anti-gonococcal immune responses across three genetically distinct mouse strains, with functional antibody activity maintained for up to one year. Importantly, GonoVac generated greater complement-mediated bacterial killing than 4CMenB in two of the three strains. Although still preclinical, these findings support GonoVac as a promising candidate for the development of a targeted vaccine against gonorrhoea.
Kapelus DJ, Olwagen CP, Izu A, Ranchod H, Mukendi CK, Mutsaerts EAML, Koen A, Jose L, Kwatra G, Faustini SE, Richter AG, Madhi SA. Immunogenicity up to age 5 years following a single-dose or two-dose infant primary series of 10-valent or 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine each followed by a booster dose in South Africa: extended follow-up of a single-centre, open-label, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2026 Nov;10(11):797-806.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(26)00164-1
Editorial comment: This study provides important evidence supporting reduced-dose pneumococcal conjugate vaccine schedules. A 1+1 PCV13 schedule, with a single primary dose followed by a booster, maintained serotype-specific antibody responses that were non-inferior to the traditional 2+1 schedule through 5 years of age. In contrast, PCV10 1+1 did not maintain non-inferiority beyond age 3 years.
These findings support the potential use of a 1+1 PCV13 schedule in countries with mature, well-established PCV programs. Importantly, however, such dose-reduction strategies depend on maintaining high vaccination coverage, which is essential to sustain strong population-level protection and minimize the risk associated with reducing the number of doses.
Falcão de Oliveira E, Cerqueira-Silva T, Tedde J et al. Zika exposure during pregnancy and the risk of hospitalisation and death due to community-acquired pneumonia in early childhood: a nationwide registry-based cohort study in Brazil. The Lancet Regional Health – Americas. 2026: 64.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2026.101649
Editorial comment: This large population-based Brazilian study, involving more than 4.1 million children, highlights the long-term respiratory consequences of congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Children with CZS had a fourfold increased risk of pneumonia-related hospitalization or death, with a cumulative incidence of 15.6% by 42 months of age, compared with 4.6% among unexposed children. Importantly, prenatal Zika virus exposure without CZS was not associated with increased risk, providing reassuring evidence for most exposed children. These findings underscore the importance of long-term clinical surveillance, targeted respiratory infection prevention, and appropriate immunization strategies for children affected by CZS.
Boer M, Klugkist I, Kroese F. Educational background and vaccination beliefs in the Netherlands: A Bayesian Evidence Synthesis from four studies. Vaccine. 2026 Sep 24;93:129132.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2026.129132
Editorial comment: This Dutch study, involving more than 23,000 participants, found that individuals with higher educational attainment consistently reported more positive attitudes toward vaccination, although differences between educational groups varied and were generally small. Importantly, vaccination attitudes remained largely stable over time following the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of educational background. These findings highlight the need for targeted, evidence-based vaccine communication strategies, particularly among populations with lower educational attainment, while recognizing that vaccine skepticism is not exclusive to any educational group.
Fernández-Veiga L, Elguezabal N, Fuertes M, Geijo MV, Molina E, Mugica-Unamuno M, Ramos A, Espada Y, Melgarejo C, Vidal E, Pérez de Val B, Juste RA, Garrido JM, Sevilla IA. Pathological, microbiological and immunological performance of three tuberculosis vaccine candidates in goats. Vaccine. 2026 Sep 26;93:129196.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2026.129196
Editorial comment: This experimental study in goats demonstrates the potential of vaccination as an additional strategy for controlling animal tuberculosis, particularly where test-and-cull programs have been unsuccessful or are impractical. Three vaccine candidates—heat-inactivated Mycobacterium bovis, phage-inactivated M. caprae, and live M. microti—reduced disease lesion severity by 44–54% and substantially decreased bacterial burden following experimental M. caprae infection. Importantly, all three vaccines remained compatible with interferon-γ diagnostic testing using defined antigens. These promising findings support further vaccine development and highlight the potential contribution of animal tuberculosis vaccination to One Health strategies.
Amicizia D, Marchini F, Schenone I, Massaro E, Landa P, Nicosia A, Orsi A, Icardi G, Ansaldi F. Adjuvanted Influenza Vaccines Versus Other Influenza Vaccines in Adults Aged ≥60 Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Relative Effectiveness for Preventing Influenza-Related Hospitalization. Vaccines. 2026; 14(10):883.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14100883
Editorial comment: This systematic review suggests that MF59-adjuvanted influenza vaccines provide comparable protection to high-dose influenza vaccines against hospitalization and emergency department visits among adults aged 65 years and older. Importantly, MF59-adjuvanted vaccines showed an approximately 18% lower risk of these outcomes compared with standard-dose vaccines. Although heterogeneity and methodological limitations warrant cautious interpretation, these findings support the potential advantages of enhanced influenza vaccines in protecting older adults against severe influenza-related outcomes.
Wang M, Yu J. Group A Streptococcus-Attributable Mortality and Disability in Asian Adults Aged 60 Years and Older: Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 and Projections to 2050. Vaccines. 2026; 14(10):880.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14100880
Editorial comment: This comprehensive analysis of 34 Asian countries (1990–2023) highlights the growing burden of Group A Streptococcus (GAS)-attributable mortality and disability among adults aged 60 years and older. Central Asia and Southeast Asia experienced the greatest increases in mortality rates, with projections suggesting a particularly substantial rise in Central Asia by 2050, although considerable uncertainty remains. Importantly, the disease burden was overwhelmingly driven by premature mortality. These findings underscore the urgent need for strengthened surveillance, targeted prevention strategies, and accelerated development of effective GAS vaccines, particularly as Asia’s population continues to age.
Mhanna D, Salman B, El Hakim R, Aridi L, Abou Ali W, Al Halabi B, Faour V, Harb F, Azar S, Ghadieh HE. Therapeutic melanoma vaccines: Platforms, neoantigen strategies, and emerging combination immunotherapies. Ther Adv Vaccines Immunother. 2026 Sep 9;14:25151355261488241.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/25151355261488241
Editorial comment: This review highlights the rapidly evolving field of therapeutic melanoma vaccines, particularly personalized neoantigen vaccines using mRNA, DNA, peptide-based, and dendritic cell platforms. Advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and tumor genomics are improving neoantigen identification and vaccine design, while combinations with immune checkpoint inhibitors offer promising opportunities to enhance antitumor immunity. Although early clinical studies demonstrate encouraging safety and immunogenicity, challenges remain regarding tumor heterogeneity, immune evasion, and manufacturing complexity. These developments position personalized cancer vaccines as a promising frontier in precision oncology, with the potential to transform future melanoma immunotherapy.
Okubo Y, Uda K. Maternal COVID-19 During Pregnancy and Offspring Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Nationwide Birth Cohort Study. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2026 Oct 7.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/INF.0000000000005436
Editorial comment: This nationwide cohort study involving more than 108,000 children found no evidence that maternal COVID-19 during pregnancy increased the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability. These reassuring findings were consistent across multiple analyses, although longer-term follow-up remains important.
Marin M, Raparti L, Leung J, Oliver SE, Levin MJ. Safety and Immunogenicity of Varicella Vaccination in Children and Adolescents Living With HIV: A Systematic Review. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2026 Oct 1;45(10):916-924.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/INF.0000000000005264
Editorial comment: This systematic review of 18 studies demonstrates that varicella vaccination is generally safe and immunogenic in children living with HIV who are not severely immunocompromised. Following two doses, 60–79% developed antibody responses, although immunity may decline faster than in HIV-negative children. Serious adverse events were reported only in severely immunosuppressed children, for whom the live vaccine remains contraindicated. These findings support varicella vaccination in appropriately selected HIV-positive children, while highlighting the need for longer-term effectiveness data.
Mazuba E, Kazibwe J, Chirwa J, Banda A, Kaonga O, Chitah B, Orangi S, Barasa E, Masiye F. Supply, demand and use of economic evidence in vaccine policymaking in Africa: A scoping review. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2026 Sep 24;6(9):e0007080.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0007080
Editorial comment: A scoping review of 140 studies published between 2000 and July 2025 highlights the limited but growing use of economic evaluations to guide vaccination policies in Africa. Research remains concentrated in a few countries, largely led and funded by institutions outside the continent. Limited local research capacity and insufficient integration of economic evidence into policymaking remain major challenges. Strengthening African expertise in health economics and promoting evidence-based decision-making are essential to optimizing scarce healthcare resources and improving sustainable, equitable immunization programs.
Huus KE; µHEAT Study Group‡; Abo H, Tan YH, Atay E, Rytter H, Keller R, Dauser S, Vu DL, Azad MB, Knight R, Ke A, Lotoski L, Langlois MA, Liu R, Tyakht AV, Youngblut N, Kang SM, Parsonnet J, Maier L, Chassaing B, Kremsner PG, Gewirtz AT, Esen M, Ley RE, Gabor JJ, Gaile JM, Fleischmann WA, Siebner AS, Smeenk G, Flügge J, De Moraes RA, Jakob D, Prokipchuk A, Wilhelm C. The human gut microbiome primes fever after vaccination. Science. 2026 Oct 8;394(6820):eaea7733.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aea7733
Editorial comment: A longitudinal study of 171 adults receiving COVID-19 mRNA vaccines identified the gut microbiome as a potential contributor to postvaccination fever. Increased abundance of flagellated Lachnospiraceae, elevated bacterial flagellin expression, and low-grade intestinal inflammation were associated with higher fever risk. Experimental findings also suggest that diet may influence these microbiome-related inflammatory responses. These findings open promising avenues for microbiome-targeted strategies to reduce vaccine reactogenicity, potentially improving vaccine acceptance and uptake, although further clinical research is needed.
Verheyden JGL, Mudogo CN. Sixteen Days Undetected: Growth Dynamics and the Case for Pre-Positioned Response Capacity in the 2026 Bundibugyo Virus Disease Outbreak, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Int J Infect Dis. 2026 Oct 8:109170.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2026.109170
Editorial comment: An analysis of the 2026 Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the largest recorded to date, revealed exceptionally rapid transmission, with cases doubling every 5.5 days—approximately three times faster than in previous outbreaks. Transmission was estimated to have begun on April 19, nearly four weeks before laboratory confirmation. The reported case-fatality ratio increased from 12.1% to 44.3%, likely reflecting changes in case classification rather than increased viral virulence. These findings underscore the urgent need for earlier detection, particularly of unexplained deaths and infections among healthcare workers, alongside strengthened surveillance, rapid diagnostics, and pre-positioned outbreak response capacity to prevent uncontrolled transmission.
Ostrowsky JT, Gellin BG, Cavaleri M, Bresee JS, Venkayya R, Cox RJ, Schultz-Cherry S, Hollingsworth R, Subbarao K, Cohen C, Settembre EC, Belongia E, McCauley JW, Rappuoli R, Cowling BJ, Taaffe J, Vestin NC, Mehr AJ, Ulrich AK, Osterholm MT, Moore KA. Innovation, development, and licensure of improved influenza vaccines: the way forward. Vaccine. 2026 Oct 24;92:129135.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2026.129135
Editorial comment: The Influenza Vaccines R&D Roadmap (IVR) Initiative highlights the urgent need for more effective, longer-lasting, and rapidly producible vaccines against seasonal and pandemic influenza. Despite progress, significant gaps remain in vaccine efficacy, durability, transmission prevention, and manufacturing capacity. Without accelerated innovation, the world risks confronting the next influenza pandemic with outdated vaccine technologies. Sustained investment, scientific collaboration, and advances in vaccine platforms are essential to strengthening global influenza preparedness.
Madhusoodanan J. Vaccine data suggest immunity could mitigate dementia. What’s the biology behind these apparent effects? Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026 Oct 13;123(41):e2633554123.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2633554123
Editorial comment: Emerging evidence suggests a potentially important relationship between infections, immune responses, and the development of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Although a causal association has not been established, and the possible protective effects of shingles vaccination against dementia remain under investigation, these findings are reshaping our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases. Moving beyond a brain-centered perspective, researchers are increasingly exploring how systemic inflammation, infections, and immune mechanisms may influence long-term brain health. This evolving field highlights the broader implications of infectious diseases and vaccination, opening new avenues for research into the role of immunization in healthy aging and the prevention of chronic diseases.
Ooi, Y.S., Cattrall, J., Brady, O. et al. Dengue virus infection. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2026 Oct; 12: 68.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-026-00744-4
Editorial comment: Dengue remains a major and expanding global public health threat, affecting approximately 100 million people annually. Climate change, urbanization, and increased international travel are accelerating its geographical spread. With no licensed specific antiviral treatment, clinical management relies on supportive care and careful fluid management. Although dengue vaccines are available in several countries, their implementation remains challenging due to the complex immunopathogenesis of the disease. Optimizing the use of existing vaccines, strengthening surveillance, and integrating vaccination into comprehensive prevention strategies are essential to reducing dengue transmission, severe disease, and its growing global burden.
