Typhoid vaccines: WHO position paper, March 2018 - Recommendations

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Vaccinology
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• Typhoid fever remains a significant global public health concern, necessitating updated vaccination strategies.
• Previous World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on typhoid vaccines were established in 2008.
• The emergence of new typhoid conjugate vaccines requires updated recommendations for their effective use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the WHO's current recommendations on the use of typhoid vaccines, including novel typhoid conjugate vaccines.
• To update and replace the 2008 WHO position paper on typhoid vaccines.
• To provide guidance to Member States on health policy matters related to typhoid vaccination.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of scientific evidence on typhoid vaccines.
• Development of evidence-to-recommendation tables.
• Expert consultation through the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE).

Main Results:

• The 2018 WHO position paper provides updated recommendations for typhoid vaccine use.
• Emphasis is placed on the importance of vaccination for typhoid fever control.
• Recommendations include guidance on a new generation of typhoid conjugate vaccines.

Conclusions:

• Vaccination is crucial for controlling typhoid fever globally.
• The updated WHO recommendations aim to guide large-scale immunization programs.
• New typhoid conjugate vaccines represent a significant advancement in typhoid prevention efforts.