Mucosal vaccination strategies for women

Women were immunized orally, rectally, or vaginally with a recombinant chol era toxin B-containing vaccine to determine which of these mucosal immuniza tion routes generate the greatest levels of antibody in the female genital tract and rectum, ELISA was used to measure concentrations of cholera toxin B-specific IgA and IgG antibody in serum and secretions before and after t hree immunizations. Each immunization route similarly increased specific Ig G in serum and specific IgA in saliva. Only the vaginal route increased IgA antibodies in genital tract secretions and could be shown to induce a loca l IgG response. However, vaginal immunization failed to produce antibody in the rectum. In a similar fashion, rectal immunization elicited highest con centrations of locally derived IgA and IgG antibody in the rectum but was i neffective for generating antibody in the genital tract. The data suggest t hat local immunization may induce the greatest immune responses in the fema le genital tract and rectum of humans.