UPDATE: A revolutionary nasal vaccine has just been unveiled by researchers at Trinity College Dublin, holding the potential to transform the prevention of respiratory diseases worldwide. This groundbreaking study, published in Nature Microbiology, reveals that the new antibiotic-inactivated Bordetella pertussis (AIBP) vaccine does not only prevent severe whooping cough but also significantly reduces bacterial transmission—an achievement long sought after by vaccine developers globally.
Led by Professor Kingston Mills and Dr. Davoud Jazayeri, this innovative vaccine employs a needle-free mucosal delivery system. By activating local immunity at the site of infection, the AIBP vaccine is positioned to address an urgent global need for advanced immunization technologies, potentially reshaping both whooping cough prevention and the broader market for respiratory bacterial vaccines.
“This vaccine stimulates immunity where infections begin, at the respiratory mucosa, enabling stronger protection and potentially interrupting community transmission,” stated Prof. Mills. Current whooping cough vaccines, while life-saving, do not prevent bacterial colonization in the nasal passages, allowing the disease to spread even among vaccinated populations. The resurgence of pertussis, despite high vaccination rates, underscores the pressing demand for improved vaccines.
The Trinity research team’s approach, utilizing intranasal delivery of the AIBP vaccine, activates a unique T-cell-driven mucosal immune response. This mechanism provides protection not only to the lungs but also to the upper respiratory tract while avoiding unwanted systemic inflammation. In preclinical studies, AIBP demonstrated complete protection against infections in both the lungs and nasal cavity, outperforming existing acellular pertussis vaccines.
The implications of this research extend beyond whooping cough. The AIBP platform could potentially be adapted to combat other pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. As global health authorities continue to grapple with respiratory diseases, this innovative approach offers a beacon of hope for future vaccinations.
As the world awaits further developments, the urgency for next-generation vaccines has never been clearer. This breakthrough is not just a scientific advancement; it represents a critical step towards safeguarding public health against the rising tide of respiratory infections.
For more detailed information, refer to the study by Seyed Davoud Jazayeri et al, titled “Respiratory immunization using antibiotic-inactivated Bordetella pertussis confers T cell-mediated protection against nasal infection in mice,” published in Nature Microbiology in 2025.
Stay tuned for updates as this story develops, marking a potential turning point in respiratory disease prevention.
