Intranasal vaccines for protection against resipratory and systemic bacterial infections

Abstract

More than 4 million deaths per year are due to respiratory diseases. Although licensed vaccines are available, bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Bordetella pertussis and Neisseria meningiditis, among others, continue to be the major agents of diseases in young children, the elderly and/or immunocompromized individuals. Following respiratory tract infection, some microorganisms may also invade the epithelial tissue, achieving systemic circulation and/or other organs. Nasal administration of different antigen formulations has shown promising results in the induction of immune responses and the defeat of the pathogens at the site of infection. This review will focus on the main nasal vaccine strategies and technologies being investigated against the most common infections caused by respiratory bacteria.

Keywords::

• common mucosal immune system
• mucosal adjuvant
• nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissue
• respiratory infection

Disclosure

This work was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, CNPq and Fundação Butantan.