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Abstract
Easy and effective vaccination methods could reduce mortality rates and morbidity
due to vaccine-preventable influenza infections. In this study, we examined the use
of microneedle patches to increase patient coverage through possible self-administration
and enhance vaccine immunogenicity by targeted delivery to skin. We carried out a
detailed study of protective immune responses after a single influenza vaccination
to the skin of mice with a novel microneedle patch designed to facilitate simple and
reliable vaccine delivery. Skin vaccination with inactivated virus-coated microneedles
provided superior protection against lethal challenge compared to intramuscular injection
as evidenced by effective virus clearance in lungs. Detailed immunologic analysis
suggests that induction of virus neutralizing antibodies as well as enhanced anamnestic
humoral and cellular responses contributed to improved protection by microneedle vaccination
to the skin. These findings suggest that vaccination in the skin using a microneedle
patch can improve protective immunity, and simplify delivery of influenza and possibly
other vaccines.