Genital delivery of virus-like particle and pseudovirus-based vaccines.

Sexually transmitted diseases represent a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The genital mucosa is the first line of defense against sexually transmitted pathogens and, like other mucosal tissues, it is colonized by resident immune cells that initiate an immune responses that can prevent the establishment and dissemination of infection. While it is clear that systemic vaccination is sufficient to provide protection against certain pathogens that infect the genital tract, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), it has not worked for other. Induction of local mucosal immune responses in the genital tract might increase the efficacy of vaccines targeting HSV, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Here, we describe recent promising efforts to induce adaptive immune responses in the genital tract using vaccines based on virus-like particles (VLPs) and pseudoviruses (PsVs).