A combined inactivated cholera and hepatitis A vaccine-induced potent protective immunity in a mouse model

Cholera and hepatitis A are serious infections spread by consuming contaminated food or water. Vaccination is the most effective strategy to prevent them. Inactivated vaccines are available for both diseases. Our goal in this study is to evaluate the immunogenic response of hepatitis A and cholera combination vaccines compared to the separate vaccines. Hepatitis A and cholera vaccine formulations with and without adjuvants (alum or chitosan) were developed and injected into mice intraperitoneally. We measured the rate of seroconversion; serum-specific antibody titers; lymphoproliferation analysis; cytokine secretions for IL2, IL4, IL10, and IFN-; and a challenge test against cholera strains in the vaccinated mice. Based on the results, the combined vaccination formulation, whether adjuvanted or not, significantly boosted the immune response on both humoral and cellular levels against both hepatitis A and cholera antigens compared to the individual vaccines. These findings validated an important concept for developing an effective combined cholera and hepatitis A vaccine that could be introduced as a novel combined vaccine for travelers as part of a standard immunization schedule. KEY POINTS: • Cholera and hepatitis A combined vaccines (with or without adjuvants) were prepared. • The vaccines were injected into mice groups for humoral and cellular immunity evaluation. • Combined vaccines gave substantial protection against both immunogens.