ORALLY-ADMINISTERED MICROENCAPSULATED BORDETELLA-PERTUSSIS FIMBRIAE PROTECT MICE FROM BORDETELLA-PERTUSSIS RESPIRATORY-INFECTION

Fimbriae from Bordetella pertussis have been encapsulated in poly(lact ide-co-glycolide) microparticles of a size appropriate for uptake by t he immune inductive tissues of the gastrointestinal tract. Mice were i mmunized by oral gavage,vith a single dose of 10 mu g of microencapsul ated fimbriae. The resulting immune responses were compared with those resulting from intraperitoneal injection of mice with equivalent amou nts of fimbriae adsorbed onto alhydrogel. The examination of serum and mucosal secretions, collected over a 6-week period, for specific anti fimbrial antibodies clearly demonstrated that only orally immunized an imals mounted measurable immune responses in external secretions. Six weeks after immunization, all immunized animals were protected against intranasal challenge with live B. pertussis.