cholera vaccine (PXVX0200 / Mutacol Berna / Orochol)

The Brief Case: Vibrio cholerae gastroenteritis but not cholera.

Duployez Claire C, Wallet Frédéric F, Guern Rémi Le RL, Lemonnier Fanny F et al.

A structure-guided trivalent subunit vaccine confers maternal protection to neonatal piglets against PEDV and PDCoV.

Liu Jia J, Chen Longping L, Li Dan D, Wang Zhuo Z et al.

Antigenic divergence among porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) genotypes and porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) limits the cross-protection provided by current commercial vaccines. Here, employing a structure-guided antigen design strategy, we developed a trivalent subunit vaccine concurrently targeting PEDV G2a, PEDV G2b, and PDCoV. The vaccine antigen set comprises optimized spike ectodomain antigens, featuring stabilizing mutations, a heptad repeat 2 (HR2) deletion, a fused neutralizing epitope, and a flagellin adjuvant fused to the N-terminus. Formulated with MF59+CpG adjuvants, this trivalent vaccine elicited robust PEDV- and PDCoV-specific neutralizing antibody responses and Th1/Th2-associated cellular immune responses characterized by IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-4 production in mice. Immunization of pregnant sows with 300 μg dose induced high-titer IgG, IgA, and colostral secretory IgA (SIgA) against all three target viruses. Although neutralizing antibody titers were comparable between the 100 μg and 300 μg dose groups, the 300 μg group showed higher and more persistent levels of colostral binding IgG and SIgA. Following maternal immunization, piglets that acquired maternal antibodies through colostrum exhibited reduced clinical diarrhea, lower fecal viral RNA shedding, and less severe intestinal lesions after challenge with PEDV G2a, PEDV G2b, or PDCoV. These findings support this structure-guided trivalent subunit vaccine as a promising candidate for maternal immunization against co-circulating porcine enteric coronaviruses.

Spiritual Health Locus of Control and COVID-19 Booster Intentions Among Hispanic Americans: A Culturally Grounded Extension of the Extended Parallel Process Model.

Kim Joon J, Jun Jungmi J, Zambrano Rodriguez Viviana Carolina VC

Declining uptake of COVID-19 boosters poses significant public health concerns. Hispanic Americans, who have experienced disproportionate pandemic impacts, report lower uptake of updated boosters than non-Hispanic White adults, partly attributable to vaccine hesitancy. Although religiosity plays a central role in Hispanic communities, little is known about how spiritually grounded beliefs shape cognitive and emotional responses to vaccination. This study integrates the extended parallel process model (EPPM) with spiritual health locus of control (SHLOC) to examine how exposure to faith-based and governmental vaccine information influences booster intention through spiritually grounded efficacy appraisals. Using an online survey of Hispanic American adults (N = 349), we tested a structural equation model linking SHLOC, perceived threat, efficacy beliefs, fear, and vaccination intentions. Results indicated that active SHLOC, reflecting beliefs in divine partnership in health, increased response efficacy and indirectly promoted booster intention and vaccine advocacy, whereas passive SHLOC, reflecting divine determinism, reduced self-efficacy and indirectly discouraged booster intention. Perceived threat was positively associated with fear, and efficacy beliefs emerged as the strongest predictors of booster intention. Mediation analyses supported serial pathways from message exposure to SHLOC to efficacy to intention, identifying spiritually grounded control beliefs as a culturally embedded mechanism in vaccine decision making. Findings suggest that faith-based engagement can function as either a protective or risk communication channel, depending on whether messages reinforce divine partnership or determinism. The study advances EPPM by identifying SHLOC as a culturally grounded antecedent to efficacy appraisal and offers implications for culturally responsive vaccine communication in Hispanic communities.

Reaching zero-dose children through the Big Catch-Up initiative in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Elmahdy Eman E, Mere Osama O, Farrukh Saadia S, Alyousfi Mohamad Nihad MN et al.

Routine immunization (RI) is one of the most effective public health interventions for reducing childhood morbidity and mortality. However, recent disruptions to RI have created immunity gaps in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), increasing the number of zero-dose (ZD) and under-immunized children, particularly in countries affected by conflict, displacement, service disruption, and ongoing vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. The Big Catch-Up (BCU) initiative aimed to identify and vaccinate missed children, close immunity gaps, and strengthen RI systems. In the six Gavi-supported EMR countries included in this study (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen), implementation targeted children aged 12-59 months. This study assessed progress in reaching ZD children during BCU implementation in these six countries. A descriptive, multi-country programmatic analysis was conducted using quantitative and qualitative data from BCU quarterly reports covering implementation from Q4 2024 to Q1 2026. Additional data sources included World health Organization (WHO and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC), Gavi-approved vaccine dose data, and UNICEF vaccine shipment data. Quantitative analysis summarized administered doses, zero-dose targets, BCU coverage, vaccine consumption, and performance by country and antigen among children aged 12-59 months. Age-disaggregated analyses were conducted for children aged 12-23 months and 24-59 months. Qualitative information from country reports on implementation successes, challenges, and lessons learned was summarized by country and thematic area. During the BCU implementation period, 3.5 million zero-dose children were reached with Penta1 across the six countries, representing 53% of the estimated cumulative population of 6.6 million ZD children. Of the 57 million Gavi-approved vaccine doses, 98% were shipped to countries, and 47.7 million doses were administered, equivalent to 84% of approved doses. Implementation success was supported by targeted identification of areas with high numbers of zero-dose children, integrated outreach, integration with other health services, and recruitment of vaccinators and deployment of community health workers. Key challenges included insecurity, population movement, inaccessible districts, community refusal, and limited community engagement. Substantial progress in reaching missed children was reported during BCU implementation in high-priority EMR countries. Lessons learned highlight the importance of integrating catch-up vaccination with RI, strengthening microplanning, ensuring timely vaccine supply and financing, improving community engagement, and institutionalizing catch-up vaccination.