New Nasal Vaccine Promises to Change Respiratory Disease Prevention

A research team from Trinity College Dublin has developed a groundbreaking nasal vaccine that could significantly improve prevention strategies for respiratory infections. The study, published in Nature Microbiology, reveals that their innovative vaccine, which utilizes antibiotic-inactivated Bordetella pertussis (AIBP), not only prevents severe disease but also reduces bacterial transmission. This advancement addresses a crucial need in the quest for effective respiratory vaccines.

Led by Professor Kingston Mills and Dr. Davoud Jazayeri from the university’s School of Biochemistry and Immunology, the AIBP vaccine introduces a needle-free mucosal platform designed to stimulate lasting immunity directly at the site of infection. This approach could revolutionize the prevention of whooping cough and enhance the overall landscape of respiratory bacterial vaccines.

“We’ve applied our understanding of protective immune pathways to engineer a fundamentally different kind of vaccine,” said Professor Mills. “By stimulating immunity where infections begin, at the respiratory mucosa, we can offer stronger protection and potentially interrupt community transmission.”

Current whooping cough vaccines have been effective in protecting infants from severe illness; however, they do not prevent bacterial colonization in the nose and throat. This limitation has contributed to the recent resurgence of pertussis, even in populations with high vaccination rates. The findings from Trinity College highlight the urgent commercial and clinical demand for next-generation vaccines.

The AIBP vaccine is delivered intranasally, a method that activates a unique T-cell-driven mucosal immune response. This response is critical for providing protection to both the lungs and the upper respiratory tract while minimizing the risk of unwanted systemic inflammation. In preclinical studies, AIBP demonstrated complete protection against infections in both the lungs and nasal cavity, outperforming existing acellular pertussis vaccines.

These promising results suggest that AIBP could serve as a standalone next-generation pertussis vaccine. Additionally, its platform may be adaptable to combat other pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The implications of this research are significant, as improving vaccination strategies against respiratory diseases remains a critical global health priority. Future studies will further explore the potential of this innovative vaccine technology in addressing a range of infectious diseases.

For more detailed information, refer to the study: Seyed Davoud Jazayeri et al, “Respiratory immunization using antibiotic-inactivated Bordetella pertussis confers T cell-mediated protection against nasal infection in mice,” published in Nature Microbiology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-025-02166-6.