[Foetal Rhesus-D typing added to antenatal screening for infectious diseases and erythrocyte immunisation].

Objective: Investigation of the accuracy and national implementation of foetal Rhesus-D typing (fRhD), introduced in 2011 for RhD-negative pregnant women.

Design: Descriptive, national study.

Method: Results of fRhD in pregnant women in the first year after implementation were compared to results from cord blood RhD typing of the child.

Animal models for cutaneous vaccine delivery.

Main challenges in skin vaccination are overcoming the stratum corneum (SC) barrier and targeting the antigen presenting cells (APC) in the epidermis and the dermis. For this purpose many delivery techniques are being developed. In vivo immunogenicity and safety studies in animals are mandatory before moving to clinical trials.

Phase 1 clinical study with Bioneedles, a delivery platform for biopharmaceuticals.

Vaccination campaigns using syringes, needles, vials and refrigeration have a heavy logistic burden. A vaccination platform that circumvents these problems would improve the quality of vaccination campaigns by faster and safer vaccination of populations anywhere. A clinical phase I study in eighteen volunteers has been carried out, using biodegradable mini-implants (Bioneedles™), made of a polymer based on starch, allowing for high speed vaccination of thermostable vaccines and omitting the use of syringes, needles, vials and refrigeration.

Minipigs as an animal model for dermal vaccine delivery.

Appropriate animal models for intradermal vaccine delivery are scarce. Given the high similarity of their skin anatomy to that of humans, minipigs may be a suitable model for dermal vaccine delivery. Here we describe the immunization of Göttingen minipigs by using intradermal and intramuscular delivery of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).

Bioneedles as alternative delivery system for hepatitis B vaccine.

An alternative vaccine delivery system for needle injections is the Bioneedle. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was formulated with Bioneedles. Three formulations were used: plain antigen, HBsAg adjuvated with aluminum hydroxide and HBsAg with LPS-derived lpxL1.

Bioneedles as vaccine carriers.

Bioneedles are small hollow mini implants fabricated from biodegradable polymers which can be filled with antigen. Bioneedles can be used for vaccination without syringes and needles. Formulations have been prepared containing tetanus toxoid with and without aluminum phosphate.