Intranasal immunization with heat-inactivated Streptococcus pneumoniae protects mice against systemic pneumococcal infection

In order to study the mucosal and serum antibody response to polysaccharide -encapsulated bacteria in mice, a preparation of heat-inactivated Streptoco ccus pneumoniae type 4 was administered, with and without cholera toxin, at various mucosal sites. It appeared that intranasal immunization of nonanes thesized animals was superior to either oral, gastric, or colonic-rectal an tigen delivery with regard to the induction of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA, as well as saliva IgA antibodies specific for pneumococci, The ma rked IgA antibody response in feces after intranasal, but not after oral or gastric, immunization is suggestive of a cellular link between the nasal i nduction site and the distant mucosal effector sites. Intranasal immunizati on also induced antibodies in serum and in mucosal secretions against type- specific capsular polysaccharide, IgA and IgG antibody levels in pulmonary lavage fluids correlated well with saliva IgA and serum Ige antibodies, res pectively. Antibody determinations in pulmonary secretions may therefore be redundant in some cases, and the number of experimental animals may be red uced accordingly. After intraperitoneal challenge with type 4 pneumococci, mice immunized intranasally were protected against both systemic infection and death, even without the use of cholera toxin as a mucosal adjuvant, Thu s, an efficient intranasal vaccine against invasive pneumococcal disease ma y be based on a very simple formulation with whole killed pneumococci.