Microneedles is a medium for supply of influenza vaccine, which avoids the pain associated with conventional needles. They are only seven tenths of a millimeter, and the volume of vaccine - an essential factor in pain - is small.
Instead of liquid, whole killed or attenuated viruses, using dry vaccines virus-like particles (VLPs) that simply coating the needles in the presence of the basic stabilizer, eliminating the need for cooling - the possible handover for use in developing countries.The lower dose required when using microneedles also reduces the potential for side effects, such as lung inflammation.
"This method can induce higher levels of IgG2a antibody and quick recall to elicit an immune response to infection lethal. Our previous studies showed that the microneedle vaccination enhances antibody-producing cells in the spleen and bone marrow induced compared to intramuscular vaccination" says Sang Moo Kang Georgia State University, researcher of the study.
Previous studies by this group has shown that an influenza VLP-coated microneedles indeed produce higher short-term protection than traditional intramuscular immunization. In this study, researchers tested how effective long-term protection of the vaccine. Mice that received the vaccine were 100 percent protected against a lethal challenge with influenza virus 14 months after vaccination.
Kang says that his goal was to develop a simple and painless method of administration of vaccines. He also says that the patient would probably use this system to be vaccinated.