Intranasal murine model of Bordetella pertussis infection. I. Prediction of protection in human infants by acellular vaccines

Bicomponent, tricomponent and pertactin DTPa vaccines were tested in sublet hal aerosol, and lethal and sublethal intranasal murine Bordetella pertussi s respiratory challenge models. Pertactin and bicomponent vaccines induced protective immunity against lethality but with little or no bacterial clear ance. Intranasal challenge discriminated in a reproducible, statistically s ignificant manner between the efficacies of bicomponent and tricomponent DT Pa, in agreement with clinical trial data. This discrimination was not obse rved in the aerosol challenge. Pertactin had a synergistic effect with bico mponent DTPa. Intranasal challenge may be useful as part of the preclinical evaluation of new acellular pertussis formulations or DTPa-based combinati ons. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.