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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
February 4, 6:39 AM
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Ever had a client ask: "Why does my kitten need to come TWO times for vaccines? Can't we just do it all at once?"
Let me break down the science in a way that might change how it act
🧬 The "Goldilocks Problem" of Maternal Immunity
Kittens are born with almost NO immunity from their mother during pregnancy. Unlike humans, cats have a special type of placenta that blocks antibody transfer before birth. Instead, 90-95% of protective antibodies come through colostrum in those critical first 16 hours of life (Claus et al., 2006).¹
But here's where it gets tricky...
These maternal antibodies are both a blessing and a curse:
✅ They protect vulnerable kittens from deadly diseases
❌ But they ALSO attack vaccine antigens, preventing the kitten from building their own immunity
This creates what scientists call the "window of susceptibility", a period where kittens are:
-Too vulnerable to fight off real infections
-Yet unable to respond to vaccines
Consider these exposure risks for "indoor-only" cats:
-Panleukopenia virus survives for YEARS in the environment and can be tracked indoors on shoes and clothing
-Multi-cat households where ONE cat goes outside creates risk for ALL cats
Here's what evidence-based feline vaccination looks like in #2026:
For Kittens: → Start at 6-8 weeks, continue every 2-4 weeks until 16-20 weeks → Core vaccines: FPV, FHV-1, FCV → FeLV for ALL kittens (remember that age-resistance curve!) → Rabies at 12-16 weeks → yearly booster
For Adult High-Risk Cats: → Annual booster of Core and Rabies
What challenges do you face while Vaccination?
#mianpetsandvets #VeterinaryMedicine #FelineHealth #VetMed #CatVaccination #VeterinaryEducation #CatsOfLinkedIn
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
December 21, 2025 4:08 AM
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Just as a curiosity.
"Chris Buck stands barefoot in his kitchen holding a glass bottle of unfiltered Lithuanian farmhouse ale. He swirls the bottle gently to stir up a fingerbreadth blanket of yeast and pours the turbulent beer into a glass mug.
Buck raises the mug and sips. “Cloudy beer. Delightful!”
He has just consumed what may be the world’s first vaccine delivered in a beer. It could be the first small sip toward making vaccines more palatable and accessible to people around the world. Or it could fuel concerns about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. Or the idea may go nowhere. No matter the outcome, the story of Buck’s unconventional approach illustrates the legal, ethical, moral, scientific and social challenges involved in developing potentially life-saving vaccines."
https://lnkd.in/gdPZRTsV
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
November 16, 2025 4:46 AM
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Advances and prospects of respiratory mucosal vaccines: mechanisms, technologies, and clinical applications - npj Vaccines
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
September 19, 2025 10:52 AM
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Event by Novo Nordisk Foundation Science Cluster Conference: Harnessing airway immunity for next-gen vaccines The 32nd Science Cluster Conference, "Harnessing airway immunity for next-gen vaccines", will feature world leaders exploring the latest advancements in airway immunity and innovative...
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
September 11, 2025 1:06 PM
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🚰🐔 Drinking Water Vaccination in Poultry – Proper SOPs for Success
Mass vaccination of a flock via drinking water is one of the most practical, less stressful, and commonly used methods in poultry farms. But to achieve protection against diseases, strict SOPs must be followed.
Here’s a complete overview 👇
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1️⃣ Drinking Water Vaccination
The goal is simple: every bird in the flock must receive the correct vaccine dose.
✅ Calculate water intake based on bird age (see standard tables).
✅ Vaccine water should be consumed within 1.5–2 hours.
✅ Withhold water for 1 hour before vaccination to encourage uniform drinking.
✅ Neutralize chlorine/heavy metals in water (using skimmed milk powder or vaccine stabilizer).
2️⃣ Storage & Transportation of Vaccine
📦 Vaccines must be handled with extreme care:
Store at 2–8°C (35–46°F) in a dedicated fridge.
Transport in a cool box with ice packs, keeping 4–8°C constant.
Only transport the required doses.
🛠️ Equipment Needed:
Clean container (80L approx.)
Vaccination can/water proportioner (5–10L)
Measuring jug, bucket, stirrer
Skimmed milk (stabilizer)
💡 Administration Steps:
1. Prepare vaccines on a clean surface using disposable gloves.
2. Neutralize chlorine (stock solution, 20 min wait).
3. Mix vaccine gently in water and distribute evenly.
4. Ensure all drinkers/nipples are filled before lowering.
5. Walk the flock to encourage uniform drinking.
6. Vaccine water must be consumed within 2 hours.
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3️⃣ Evaluation of Drinking Water Vaccination
After vaccination, it’s critical to check how well the flock received the vaccine:
🔹 Dye Test: Add dye tablets with vaccine water. Birds’ tongues should stain blue. At least 90% of sampled birds should show staining.
🔹 Serology (ELISA/HI): Take blood samples from 20 random birds after ~3 weeks to measure antibody titers.
📊 Good Response Indicators:
High antibody titers
Coefficient of variation (CV) < 50%
Uniform flock immunity
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✅ Conclusion
Drinking water vaccination is simple, quick, and flock-friendly. When SOPs are followed properly—from storage → preparation → administration → evaluation—the benefits are clear:
✔️ Better growth & weight gain
✔️ Higher egg production
✔️ Improved uniformity
✔️ Stronger disease resistance
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💬 What’s your experience with drinking water vaccination in poultry?
#Poultry #AnimalHealth #Vaccination #Veterinary #SOPs #PoultryFarming
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
June 29, 2025 7:30 AM
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A review of currently licensed mucosal COVID-19 vaccines
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
May 31, 2025 6:01 AM
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A powerful reminder of the untapped potential of 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆.
Too few vaccines—especially for respiratory viruses and cancers—leverage mucosal immunity, despite it being our first line of defense.
𝗪𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗹. showcase a biomineralized nanovaccine delivered 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 to bypass the BBB and target glioblastoma via the nose-to-brain route. No needles. No systemic detours.
What’s especially exciting: the virus-like particle acts as 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗷𝘂𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁. By displaying a glioma-associated peptide (EphA2₆₇₁–₆₇₉) on calcium phosphate-coated HBcAg VLPs, this platform drives potent, durable immune responses. It improves mucosal adhesion, boosts tumor accumulation, and reshapes the tumor microenvironment by increasing effector T cells while reducing Tregs and M2 macrophages.
Clear momentum building for mucosal vaccines 𝘢𝘯𝘥 CNS-targeted immunotherapy.
Link in the comments 👇
#MucosalImmunology #MucosalVaccines #Immunotherapy #Glioblastoma #DrugDelivery #NeuroOncology #CancerVaccines #VirusLikeParticles #Nanomedicine #TranslationalResearch
Beginning with Edward Jenner’s discovery of the smallpox vaccine, the ever-expanding repertoire of vaccines against pathogens has saved many lives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a revolutionary mRNA injectable vaccine emerged that effectively controlled the severity of disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. This vaccine induced potent antigen-specific neutralizing serum IgG antibodies, but was limited in its ability to prevent viral invasion at the respiratory surfaces. Nasal vaccines have attracted attention as a potential strategy to combat respiratory infections and prepare for future pandemics. Input from disciplines such as microbiology, biomaterials, bioengineering and chemistry have complemented the immunology to create innovative delivery systems. This approach to vaccine delivery has yielded nasal vaccines that induce secretory IgA as well as serum IgG antibodies, which are expected to prevent pathogen invasion, thereby diminishing transmission and disease severity. For a nasal vaccine to be successful, the complexity of the relevant anatomical, physiological and immunological properties, including the proximity of the central nervous system to the nasal cavity, must be considered. In this Review, we discuss past and current efforts as well as future directions for developing safe and effective nasal vaccines for the prevention of respiratory infections. This Review provides an overview of progress and future directions in the development of nasally administered vaccines for respiratory infections.
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
April 8, 2025 1:23 PM
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Lung B cells in ectopic germinal centers undergo affinity maturation
- The lungs are constantly exposed to the external environment and a myriad of antigenic challenges within the air.
- Chronic exposure to allergens and other airborne antigens can result in the formation of mature tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) which can harbor ectopic germinal centers (GCs).
- This study demonstrates that allergen-induced ectopic germinal centers in the lung, although smaller and slower to respond than those in lymph nodes, are capable of somatic hypermutation and affinity maturation contributing to the development of high-affinity B cells.
- Thus the lung can locally diversify B cell responses and supports the generation of tissue memory B cells populations in situ.
- This local generation of immunity could be leveraged via aerosolized vaccines that stimulate lung GC responses that generate memory B cells and protect against respiratory infections.
https://lnkd.in/e4DFuQci
#immunology #immunity #allergy #vaccines #Bcells
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Rescooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
from Virus World
January 29, 2025 1:26 PM
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The “Ferrari of viruses” is having a banner season. Norovirus, which races through cruise ships, homes, and long-term care facilities, is experiencing a remarkable winter surge in the Northern Hemisphere, sending large numbers of people racing to the bathroom and many others to the hospital, and in rare cases, proving fatal. In the United States, for example, 91 outbreaks of the intestinal virus occurred in the first week of December 2024, far above the previous maximum, 65, for the same week between 2010 and 2024. And levels of its genes in U.S. wastewater are an order of magnitude above last year. “The early data for the early part of the season is certainly supporting that we’re going to have a pretty intense norovirus year,” says Lisa Lindesmith, who studies the virus at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. Some of the surge may be due to a new variant of the virus, unfamiliar to many people’s immune systems, and the resumption of cruises and other gatherings that the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted. And there’s no vaccine anywhere in sight: The most advanced candidate just failed a key trial and others won’t be ready for several years. Norovirus thrives in cold climes, causing explosive diarrhea and vomiting that typically only last for a day. But several weeks after people recover, they can still shed the virus, and it can remain infectious for long periods on surfaces. It’s notoriously resistant to many disinfectants, and studies in adult volunteers have shown just a trace of virus is enough to sicken a person. Oysters are also a source of infection, because the filter-feeding mollusks concentrate the virus from contaminated water in their tissues. U.S. health officials issued several warnings about infected oysters in December, and France has banned oyster harvesting in certain regions because of norovirus outbreaks. For most people the virus is a rapidly passing misery that creates the wrong kind of unforgettable memories from a wedding or a holiday gathering. But, “It can be pretty severe,” says Mary Estes, a virologist at the Baylor College of Medicine who is a leading researcher in this small field. Although norovirus-related mortality is low in wealthy countries, it kills an estimated 200,000 young children in the developing world each year. Even in the U.S., it’s the leading cause of hospitalization for diarrheal disease, hitting young children and the elderly particularly hard. Immunocompromised people, particularly cancer patients on chemotherapy or transplant recipients taking antirejection drugs, can have chronic infections that last for months or even years. Many sickened people also miss work, globally leading to an estimated $60 billion in annual losses. Given that symptoms quickly resolve in most cases, few people seek care, but in the U.S., reports of norovirus-related outbreaks—two or more illnesses from a common source—this winter promise to far outstrip the 2500 typically seen. Cruise ships are being hit hard, too. In the United Kingdom, labs that test for the virus reported 63% more positive samples in the last 2 weeks of 2024 than the average, and hospitalizations were up 11%. Albert Kapikian at the U.S. National Institutes of Health discovered the first norovirus in 1972 from an outbreak of “winter vomiting disease” that occurred at an elementary school in Norwalk, Ohio—hence the “noro” in the name. Scientists have since described more than 30 major variants that circulate in humans, distinguished by changes in their surface protein, VP1, which is the main target of antibodies that can “neutralize” it. “This virus is really good at getting around antibodies,” says veteran norovirus researcher Christine Moe of Emory University. “I used to think it was the most successful pathogen until COVID came along.” The world had four massive waves of norovirus between 2002 and 2012—“the most pandemics of any virus in the 21st century,” says UNC’s Ralph Baric, who has long studied the pathogen. Each erupted when a new norovirus variant replaced the dominant one. But since 2012, a set of related variants called GII.4 has held sway. “One of the hottest topics in norovirus research is why, after having those really frequent replacement events, has that process slowed down?” says Lindesmith, who works in Baric’s lab. A change that could help explain this winter’s surge in cases is the success of GII.17, a variant that has circulated at low levels for decades. GII.17 began to rise in the U.S. and six European countries last year, a 26 September 2024 paper in Eurosurveillance reported. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 70% of 56 viral isolates sequenced between 1 September and the end of the year belong to the GII.17 lineage. The U.K. and the Netherlands are also seeing GII.17 dominate. Whether it will end GII.4’s 12-year reign as the dominant variant won’t be clear for many months. What finally gave GII.17 an edge isn’t clear. Norovirus research Miranda de Graaf at the Erasmus Medical Center says the virus found in the Netherlands has significantly mutated away from other GII.17 strains. The drop in norovirus transmission because of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic may also have played a role. “If you go 3 or 4 years without much exposure in the population, the prediction would be that that background immunity is going to drop over time, and then there’s going to be a big surge that occurs sometime after as things return to normal,” Baric says. A norovirus vaccine likely would have a large global market among all ages, but development was slow off the mark. “It took a long time for people to recognize that these viruses really are infecting a lot of people,” Estes says, which limited funding for the research. The virus is also a challenge to work with; it can only grow reliably in a complicated organoid culture system, developed by Estes and co-workers, that mimics human intestines. The most advanced vaccine candidate, which contained “viruslike particles” made of VP1, failed in an efficacy trial in infants, its manufacture, HilleVax, reported in July 2024. A Chinese company, Zhifei, has an efficacy trial underway in children of a candidate that contains VP1s from four genotypes, including GII.4 and GII.17. And Moderna in September 2024 launched an efficacy trial in adults of a vaccine that uses messenger RNAs encoding VP1s from multiple variants (although not GII.17). Even if a norovirus vaccine proves safe and effective, it is up against what Baric calls “one of the most infectious viruses in nature,” which means a vaccine is unlikely to prevent all symptoms and completely stop transmission. It would probably also require regular boosters. “This is not going to be a one-and-done sort of vaccination,” Lindesmith says. But like COVID-19 vaccines, a norovirus vaccine might slow spread and spare people from severe disease or even death—keeping one day of misery from turning into something much worse. doi: 10.1126/science.zapmdgv
Via Juan Lama
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
November 27, 2024 1:08 PM
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The growing role of aquaculture in global food security has underscored the need for advanced immunological insights to protect fish health and boost productivity. As aquaculture’s importance rises, understanding fish immunity is crucial for developing effective vaccination strategies. Fish possess a specialized immune system with unique mucosal structures that enable resilience in aquatic environments. This review examines critical advances in fish mucosal immunity, particularly focusing on mucosal vaccines that target infection at primary entry points, such as the gills, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. Mucosal vaccination has demonstrated a compelling capacity to stimulate localized and systemic immune responses, offering enhanced protection against waterborne pathogens. Additionally, this review addresses knowledge gaps from previous research on the global aquaculture vaccines market by offering a regional perspective on industry developments, recent trends, and innovative vaccine formulations. In doing so, it highlights the role of mucosal vaccines in overcoming the specific challenges of fish farming and supporting sustainable aquaculture. This synthesis of current methodologies, industry practices, and future directions contributes to a deeper understanding of fish immunology, ultimately informing strategies to achieve optimal disease management and bolster global aquaculture resilience.
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
September 25, 2024 1:00 PM
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This study demonstrated good safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of Ad5-S-Omicron (NB2155), a replication-incompetent human Ad5 carrying Omicron BA.1 spike, as a monovalent intranasal booster in people who previously received injected inactivated whole-virus vaccines.
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
June 2, 2024 5:34 AM
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Currently, SARS-CoV-2 has evolved into various variants, including the numerous highly mutated Omicron sub-lineages, significantly increasing immune evasion ability. The development raises concerns about the possibly diminished effectiveness of available vaccines and antibody-based therapeutics.
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
December 29, 2025 6:08 AM
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Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety of the Live-Attenuated Intranasal Pertussis Vaccine BPZE1: A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2b Human Challenge Study in the UK:
The resurgence of pertussis is largely attributed to suboptimal vaccination coverage, particularly in countries that rely exclusively on acellular vaccines, which fail to induce mucosal immunity and generate minimal indirect (herd) protection. Consequently, sustained coverage levels above 95% are required to control transmission. BPZE1 is a live-attenuated Bordetella pertussis strain developed for intranasal administration, engineered through the genetic inactivation or deletion of three key virulence factors—pertussis toxin (PT), dermonecrotic toxin (DNT), and tracheal cytotoxin (TCT)—to safely prevent whooping cough while closely mimicking natural infection. This vaccine elicits robust Th1-biased cellular immunity alongside strong humoral responses. In a phase 2b human challenge study, intranasal BPZE1 vaccination prevented or markedly reduced infection following exposure to virulent B. pertussis, supporting its potential as a promising next-generation pertussis vaccine. Given its favorable safety profile, large-scale phase 3 clinical trials are warranted to confirm these findings and further assess its public health impact.
#pertussis
#pertussisvaccines
#mucosalvaccines
#nasalvaccines
https://lnkd.in/gukzy-aE
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
December 5, 2025 7:10 AM
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𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: 𝗧 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 - 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗲𝘀
A new study in Immunity from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reveals that #Tcells residing in tissues such as the #tonsils differ significantly from T cells circulating in the #blood. This challenges long-standing assumptions in #immunology and could transform how we assess immune responses to #vaccines, #infections, and #immunotherapies.
In one of the largest single-cell datasets of human T cells ever generated, researchers analyzed 5.7 million T cells from paired tonsil tissue and blood samples of 10 donors. Led by Dr. Naresha Saligrama, the team found profound differences in T cell subtypes and functions between compartments even within the same individual.
Why does this matter?
▪️ Less than 2% of the body’s T cells are actually in the blood, yet blood is currently the standard sample type used for immune monitoring.
▪️Many specialized T cells - including resident memory T cells and T follicular helper cells - exist almost exclusively in tissues, not blood.
▪️Tissue location can shape a T cell’s phenotype and its ability to recognize specific antigens.
🔍 Significance
This study highlights the need for a more tissue-aware approach to evaluating immune responses. Relying solely on blood samples may overlook critical populations of T cells that drive protection, disease progression, or therapeutic responses. Future vaccine design, #immunotherapy evaluation, and clinical diagnostics may need to incorporate location-specific immune profiling to truly understand human #immunity.
🗃️ See comments section for reference.
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
October 15, 2025 4:44 AM
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
September 13, 2025 1:46 PM
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
August 5, 2025 5:05 AM
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STI Vaccines at #STIHIV2025 #IUSTI #ISSTDR
Professor Helen Rees
- HPV Vaccine uptakes rising with move to 1-dose and the pipeline of therapeutic HPV vaccines promising
- Syphilis vaccine candidates but all preclinical phase
- Herpes simplex vaccine candidates - preclinical phase
- Gonorrhoea - 4CMenB may be useful (~30-40% effective)
- Chlamydia - preclinical phase.
- Trichomoniasis - preclinical phase.
- Mpox - 3 licensed vaccines (originally for small pox) - access remains an issue
- Vaccine hesitancy needs to be addressed. Convenience. Complacency. Convenience. Context.
Professor Sanjay Ram
- Chlamydia: "bacteria that thinks it is a virus".
majority would generate antibodies against chlamydia but does not affect chance of reinfection.
high titres of antibodies may be associated with greater complications (PID).
Mice model - CD4 cells are important for clearing genital infection.
- Syphilis
previous syphilis can alter course of subsequent episode of syphilis
- Gono
No immunity following gonococcal infection.
Intravacc (intranasal) vaccine, LimmaTech Biologics "6-in-1" vaccine might be promising.
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
June 8, 2025 1:53 PM
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A Review of Currently Licensed Mucosal COVID-19 Vaccines -
Recent review on mucosal COVID-19 vaccines approved by the FDA. Unlike most injectable vaccines, they induce a robust mucosal immune response with secretory IgA antibodies. Mucosal vaccines also lead to a strong systemic cellular and humoral immune response.
To date, only five active mucosal vaccines have received regulatory approval for human use, and at least 29 are under clinical trials. Approved vaccines use intranasal, sometimes also combined with intramuscular doses. Most of them utilize replication incompetent viruses (e.g. adenovirus) to deliver the antigen to the nasal mucose via nasal sprays or nebulizers.
https://sco.lt/8DN1Jg
#covid19 #health #globalhealth #publichealth #medicine #biotechnology #pharmaceuticals #FDA #WHO #CDC #ECDC #NIAID #clinicaltrials #immunology #vaccines
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
May 24, 2025 9:26 AM
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
April 12, 2025 4:14 AM
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
February 19, 2025 8:13 AM
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Nasal vaccine devices have the potential to offer more convenient and more effective protection against a variety of viruses, with vaccines in development for…
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Rescooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
from Immunology and Biotherapies
January 27, 2025 4:10 AM
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Norovirus Vaccines: Unlocking the Next Frontier in Global Health
Did you know norovirus causes over 677 million cases of gastroenteritis annually, costing $60…
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
October 17, 2024 4:47 AM
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An excellent article in Scientific American discusses recent advances in the development of nasal vaccines against respiratory viral infections, including…
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Scooped by
Gilbert C FAURE
August 2, 2024 4:15 AM
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The findings, published July 31 in Science Advances, provide further evidence that so-called mucosal vaccines sprayed into the nose or dropped into the mouth…
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