Effect of influenza vaccines on cellular responses to pneumococcal carriage

• Grant number: 15/12149-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: February 02, 2017
• End date: May 01, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Alessandra Soares Schanoski
• Grantee: Alessandra Soares Schanoski
• Host Investigator: Daniela Mulari Ferreira
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), England

Abstract

The Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) is given as a nasal spray and isbeing given in children in the UK from the 2014/2015 winter. LAIV but not theinactivated influenza vaccine (IIV, jab in the arm), enhances pneumococcalcarriage in murine models. Increased carriage could lead to increasedpneumococcal disease in LAIV-vaccinated individuals as well as increasedbacterial transmission within the population. The potential effect of massimmunization with LAIV on pneumococcal carriage will be investigated by DrFerreira's team at LSTM using an human infection model (applicant supervisor). ThisFellowship will allow Dr.Schanoski (applicant), a researcher onimmunology of influenza vaccines, to gain expertise on the logistics of clinicaltrials from its implementation (approvals, volunteer recruitment) to samplecollection and data analysis whilst using samples obtained to develop her ownproject. Both groups will be working together to study the effect of influenzavaccines on immune responses to pneumococcus and the potential use BI's noveladjuvant (Monophosphoryl Lipid A, MPLA) in respiratory vaccination. Gainedexpertise and skills will be implemented in planned clinical trials in Brazil in whichwill evaluate vaccine and adjuvants produced at Butantan Institute, in particularaddition of MPLA to combined influenza and pneumococcal vaccination. (AU)