REVIEW

Mucosal immunology of vaccines against pathogenic nasopharyngeal bacteria

Q Zhang, A Finn

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr A Finn
Department of Clinical Sciences South Bristol, Institute of Child Health, University of Bristol, UBHT Education Centre, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol BS2 8AE, UK; Adam.Finn{at}bristol.ac.uk

The introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccines during the 1990s was followed by dramatic decreases both in the incidence of Haemophilus influenzae type b related invasive disease and in nasopharyngeal carriage of the organism. The extent of this effect has been influenced by the fact that Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccines reduce nasopharyngeal carriage and induce herd immunity. Based on the success of Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccines, chemical conjugation has been applied to the development of pneumococcal and meningococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccines. Evidence has begun to accumulate that these new polysaccharide based conjugate vaccines can also reduce nasopharyngeal carriage and can induce immune responses at the local mucosal level, which may be responsible for these effects. This article reviews recent studies on mucosal immune responses induced by polysaccharide based vaccines and some protein vaccine antigens against several pathogenic nasopharyngeal bacteria, and discusses the mechanisms and functions of these immune responses that may help our understanding of mucosal immune responses to both immunisation and infection.

Abbreviations: MenC, meningococcal serogroup C; PS, polysaccharide; TT, tetanus toxoid

Keywords: vaccines; mucosal immunology; pathogenic nasopharyngeal bacteria

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