Oral Vaccines Using Probiotics

Researchers have developed an oral vaccine utilizing probiotics and, in preclinical studies, have found it successful in providing immunity against anthrax. Why are probiotics a good delivery component, and why might this method encourage a greater degree of response than the traditional vaccine injection? Dr. Mansour Mohamadzadeh, associate professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, tells host Dr. Jay Goldstein about this new vaccine delivery method. Will oral vaccines soon be ready for clinical trials?