Pharmacology and toxicology of an oral tablet whole cells inactivated cholera vaccine in Sprague Dawley rats

Here we further investigate the pharmacological and toxicological properties of a cholera vaccine based on inactivated whole cells presented in either enteric coated (COA) or uncoated (U/C) tablet formulation from Vibrio cholerae C7258 strain. Tablets were dispersed in 2 mL drinking water and administered orally to Sprague Dawley rats distributed in five groups (I COA7, II U/C7 immunized at 0, 7, 69 days and III COA14, IV U/C14 immunized at 0, 14, 69 days and V control group). Serum vibriocidal antibody response was measured after the administration of two doses with an interval of 7-14 days. To further investigate the toxicological aspects a third dose was applied 10 weeks after the initial one. Animals were observed daily and water and food consumption was measured every other day. Periodic blood extractions were performed for hematology, biochemistry, and the titer of serum vibriocidal antibodies was determined. Anatomopathological analysis was performed at days 3 or 14 after the third dose. Results from clinical observations, as well as from water and food consumption and body weigh indicated no toxicity of the vaccine product. Meanwhile, no biological differences were found among different groups in hematological, hemo-chemistry, and anatomopathological studies. Moreover, enteric coated and uncoated tablets against human cholera were found to induce an immune response in rats.