Mucosal Vaccination Clears Clostridioides difficile Colonization

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) remains a leading cause of healthcare- and antibiotic-associated infections, with a 30% recurrence rate. Previous vaccine strategies against CDI have failed to reduce pathogen burden or transmission, perhaps due to the elicitation of systemic, rather than mucosal, immune responses. 

In this webinar, we will compare mucosal (rectal) and parenteral (intraperitoneal) administration routes of a multivalent, adjuvanted vaccine combining inactivated C. difficile toxins and novel surface antigens. We will discuss how we found that mucosal immunization, but not parenteral, clears C. difficile from the host. Our mucosal vaccine triggers targeted colonic immune responses, including IL-17 skewed tissue-resident memory T cells and fecal IgG against bacterial surface antigens. These correlates of protection and clearance also safeguard against disease, tissue damage, and recurrence, offering a new approach for sterilizing immunity against CDI.

Key topics discussed in this webinar will include:

• Immunological comparisons between mucosal and parenteral vaccine administration routes
• How distinct mechanisms drive C. difficile clearance and lasting protection
• Insights into how targeting mucosal immunity can redefine vaccine strategies for enteric pathogens

Who should attend:

• Immunologists and microbiologists researching mucosal or vaccine-mediated immunity
• Infectious disease researchers focused on enteric infections
• Researchers in vaccine design and translational immunology

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.