Interpretation of WHO's basic position on dengue vaccines
In May 2024,the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a position paper on the dengue vaccines,focusing on the newly licensed TAK-003 vaccine. WHO recommends that this vaccine be included in routine immunization schedules in areas of high-intensity dengue transmission,targeting children aged 6-16 years 1-2 years before the peak age of onset of dengue-related hospitalized cases,using a vaccination regimen with a two-dose interval of at least 3 months. Due to limited safety data,the vaccine is not recommended for specific populations such as pregnant women,lactating women,immunocompromised individuals,and symptomatic HIV-infected persons. The document also notes that the TAK-003 vaccine shows good safety and effectiveness in seropositive persons,but may not confer protection against DENV3 and DENV4 in seronegative vaccine recipients. The potential risk of severe dengue cannot be ruled out if seronegative persons are exposed to DENV3 and DENV4 based on currently available data. Additionally,the document mentions that the cost-effectiveness of the TAK-003 vaccine may vary with transmission intensity and age at vaccination,necessitating evaluation in different transmission settings. Currently,there is no data on the use of booster doses,therefore a booster dose is not recommended. Finally,the document notes that the TAK-003 vaccine can be given concurrently with yellow fever and hepatitis A vaccines,and that studies of concurrent vaccination with HPV vaccine are ongoing,which opens up more possibilities for future dengue vaccination strategies.