NASAL DELIVERY OF VACCINES

Only relatively recently the significance of inducing not only systemi c immunity but also significant local immunity at susceptible mucosal surfaces has become appreciated. A new field of mucosal immunity has b een established as information accumulates on mucosal-associated lymph oid tissue (MALT) and on its role in both local and systemic immune re sponses. This review describes the formulation of vaccines to be deliv ered to one of MALT components, i.e. the nasal-associated lymphoid tis sue (NALT), which bears some similarities with the Peyer's patches of the intestine. The association of antigens with adjuvants and particul ate carriers such as microparticles, nanoparticles and liposomes is em phasised.