Still today, 90% of influenza vaccine doses produced annually are egg-based. They are cheap and have a well-documented excellent safety profile. However, in case of an influenza pandemic with a “bird-flu-strain”, there...
In Asia, major producers are scaling up both legacy and next-generation vaccine capacity. India’s Serum Institute, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, recently announced expanded partnerships with African...
1. Epidemiology Seasonal Trends (2024–2025): The most recent data indicates that influenza A activity peaked early in 2025, with overall acute respiratory illness at very low levels in July 2025. Most regions...
Italy to leave IHR and WHO? Shortly before the deadline, the Italian government officially rejected the World Health Organization’s (WHO) amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) concerning global...
Epidemiology and trends Adenovirus infections remain a significant cause of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness worldwide, especially in infants, young children, immunocompromised individuals, and those with...
Western vaccine manufacturers Pfizer-BioNTech: Expanded RSV vaccine recommendations for older adults The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance to recommend the Pfizer-BioNTech RSV vaccine...
As of July 9, 2025, the United States is experiencing its largest measles outbreak in decades, with 1,288 confirmed cases reported across 39 states and jurisdictions. The outbreak is particularly severe in Texas and New...
Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the primary cause of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), leading to increasing severity and long-term neurological sequelae, including brainstem encephalitis, that can lead to fulminant...
The incidence of Clostridiodes difficile infection (CDI) and related hospitalisation has fallen in recent decades, but CDI is still a highly relevant disease and the downward trend may be starting to reverse. [1-3]...
The live attenuated hepatitis A vaccines developed and used in China are primarily based on two strains: H2 and LA-1. These vaccines are distributed under several brand names: H2 strain: Weisairuiji (also spelled Weisa...