The Evolving Childhood Vaccine Schedule: Protecting Babies With Prenatal Education

With US measles cases nearing 3,900 this year and Pennsylvania reporting its fifth measles-related death, here is a review of how the virus spreads, how it is prevented and managed, and what severe disease looks like.

Vaxcyte's 31-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine candidate met every prespecified primary immunogenicity and safety endpoint against PCV20 and PCV21 in the OPUS-1 trial of 4,047 US adults.

The latest CDC numbers show a 6.2% increase of measles cases from week-to-week. Last week there was a 5.4% increase in cases showing a continuing steady increase dictated by ongoing outbreaks across the US.

Lori Handy, MD, provides guidance in these areas, including presentation before rash onset, when patients should be considered for the inpatient setting, and what treatment looks like.

In the phase 3 LIBERTY study, the investigational monoclonal antibody, VYD2311, had significantly fewer adverse events than an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, and it did not blunt vaccine-induced neutralizing titers when the two were given together.

The monoclonal antibody, Brelovitug, met the combined virologic and ALT response end point at week 24 in AZURE-1, with 56% response on 300 mg weekly and 45% on 900 mg every four weeks. The manufacturer projects a potential US launch in the fourth quarter of 2027.

The latest CDC numbers show a 5.4% increase of measles cases from week-to-week. This year has already become the worst for the number of measles cases in the US since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. With the start of respiratory virus season, case numbers are expected to continue to increase significantly.

A new study in infants challenges the long-standing belief about the pathogen’s effects in the youngest pediatric population. Senior author Joseph Zackular, PhD, provides insights around his work including how it reshapes gut development and offers potential intervention strategies to shield neonates.