Rural-urban differences in oral typhoid vaccine responses in Uganda: contribution of Schistosoma mansoni
Abstract Vaccine immunogenicity varies across populations, yet drivers remain unclear. We compared systemic (plasma) and mucosal (coprological) antibody responses to the oral typhoid vaccine Ty21a, quantified by ELISA, among Ugandan adolescents from urban and Schistosoma mansoni -endemic rural settings. Urban participants elicited higher responses. Causal mediation analysis indicated that S. mansoni partly accounted for reduced mucosal, but not systemic, responses in rural participants, highlighting implications for oral vaccine effectiveness in endemic settings.
Authors
- Gyaviira Nkurunungi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4062-9105)
- Rebecca Amongin
- Bridgious Walusimbi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2878-4623)
- Agnes Natukunda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1156-201X)
- Claire Baine (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6442-2253)
- Jacent Nassuuna (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9053-1988)
- Victoria Heyraud
- Emily L. Webb
- Alison M. Elliott
Institutions
- University of London (GB)
- Edinburgh Napier University (GB)
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (GB)
- Uganda Virus Research Institute (UG)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Vaccines
- Published
- 2026-05-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-026-01484-y
- Primary Topic
- Parasites and Host Interactions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Wellcome Trust
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- Royal Society
- Universiteit Leiden
- Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum
- Medical Research Council