Aerosol measles vaccination in macaques: Preclinical studies of immune responses and safety

The comparative efficacy and safety of measles vaccination via the aerosol route versus subcutaneous injection has not been fully resolved. We vaccinated cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) with the live-attenuated Edmonston–Zagreb measles virus (MV) vaccine and compared different routes of administration in the immunocompetent and the immunocompromised host. Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of aerosol vaccination using devices similar to those previously used in humans were comparable to those in animals vaccinated by injection. No evidence for a safety hazard associated with the route of vaccination was detected. The results of this study support further clinical evaluation of aerosol vaccination for measles.