Urgent: New Typhoid Vaccine Update—What Parents Need to Know About Availability, Side Effects & 2025 Travel Requirements

The race to defeat typhoid fever—still infecting 9–14 million people a year—picked up speed this week with two major developments: a first-in-human trial of a next-generation typhoid vaccine that also targets invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella, and the launch of South Asia’s largest ever typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) campaign. Breakthrough candidate shows dual protection Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine reported results from a Phase 1 study of a bivalent conjugate vaccine that fuses Vi polysaccharide from Salmonella Typhi with proteins from invasive S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium. In 72 healthy U.S. adults the single-dose shot generated robust bactericidal antibodies against all three strains with no serious adverse events, paving the way for Phase 2 trials early next year. Scientists say a dual-target vaccine could cut childhood bloodstream infections by up to 50 % in sub-Saharan Africa, where both pathogens circulate year-round. Largest national TCV rollout begins While new candidates advance, countries are scaling up WHO-prequalified Typbar TCV. Bangladesh on 1 September opened a month-long, school-based campaign offering free shots to 50 million children aged 9 months to 15 years—the first time the nation’s routine program has used an injectable typhoid vaccine. Early reports show >90 % uptake in urban Dhaka schools as parents seize the chance to guard children against multidrug-resistant (MDR) typhoid strains sweeping South Asia. Why the buzz matters now • Drug-resistant typhoid is rising: XDR S. Typhi strains resistant to azithromycin have appeared in Pakistan and Nepal. • Climate change is expanding risk: heavier monsoon flooding contaminates water supplies, spiking enteric fever cases. • One dose, long protection: Typbar TCV provides ≥79 % efficacy for at least four years in kids aged 9 months and older. Guidance for international travelers The U.S. CDC still recommends typhoid vaccination for anyone visiting South Asia, parts of Africa, or Latin America where the disease remains endemic. Two options are licensed: • Injectable Vi-polysaccharide (Typhim Vi) – single dose, booster every 2 years. • Oral live attenuated vaccine (Vivotif) – 4 capsules over 1 week, booster every 5 years. TCV is not yet commercially available to travelers in most high-income countries, but many destination nations will offer it on arrival. Regardless of vaccine choice, follow safe-food and clean-water rules. How and where to get the shot • Pre-travel clinics: schedule at least 2 weeks before departure. • Local health departments: often cheaper than private clinics. • On-site campaigns: if traveling long-term in Bangladesh, Kenya or Pakistan, ask local EPI centers about free TCV days. Key takeaways 1. A promising dual-action typhoid/Salmonella vaccine just cleared Phase 1 and could transform enteric fever control within five years. 2. Massive public campaigns are accelerating Typbar TCV coverage, protecting millions of children where antibiotic resistance is surging. 3. Travelers should still vaccinate and practice food-safety basics—no shot is 100 % effective. With innovative candidates in the pipeline and unprecedented rollouts under way, 2025 may mark the tipping point in the global fight against typhoid fever.