Vaccine immunogenicity

Subunit vaccines Immunogenic proteins or peptide antigens customized to specific antigenic determinants are purified from tissue culture HIV, rabies virus, influenza virus, hepatitis B virus... 

There are many techniques that can be employed to assess the immuno-genicity of a vaccine candidate, and laboratories interested in pursuing this objective should also explore other assays suited to their purposes. In this model, vaccine immunogenicity is measured by determining levels of anti-LHRH antibodies induced in mice immunized with lipopeptide or a nonlipi-dated peptide control. It is important to correlate vaccine immunogenicity with biological function, and we measure the reproductively capability of vaccinated female mice as an indication of vaccine efficacy. Techniques that determine testosterone and oestrogen levels are also useful. 

If required, mice can be bled before the second inoculation to obtain an early indication of vaccine immunogenicity... 

Several clinical studies have been conducted with oral influenza vaccines (Avtushenko et al. 1996 Lazzell et al. 1984). These include water in oil emulsion form of inactivated virus vaccine and an enteric-coated killed virus vaccine. Although these vaccines induced IgA responses, there were inadequate levels of virus-neutralizing IgG antibodies in the serum to fulfil regulatory requirements for vaccine immunogenicity. This warrants refinement and further development of these types of vaccines. 

In 40 children born to HBsAg-positive mothers who had received second and third doses of hepatitis B vaccine simultaneously with DTP vaccine and inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine, immunogenicity and reactogenicity were comparable with non-simultaneous administration of the different vaccines (87). 

When a new vaccine is licenced and recommended as part of routine childhood immunisations, the effects cf concomitant vaccines (both safety prefile and any impact on other vaccine immunogenicity) need to be well understood. 

Marra F, Young F, Richardson K, Marra CA. A meta-analysis of intradermal versus intramuscular influenza vaccines immunogenicity and adverse events. Influenza Other Respb Viruses 2013 7(4) 584-603. 

Azuma, I. (1992). "Synthetic immunoadjuvants application to non-specific host stimulation and potentiation of vaccine immunogenicity." Vaccine 10 1000-1006. 

During recent decades, data on influenza vaccine immunogenicity and side effects have been obtained for intramuscularly administered vaccine (74-78). Because recent influenza vaccines have not been adequately evaluated when administered by other routes, the intramuscular route is recommended. Adults and older children should be vaccinated in the deltoid muscle and infants and young children in the anterolateral aspect of the thigh (79). 

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