Intranasal Immunization with Recombinant Hemagglutinin of Influenza A/H5 Virus Complexed with Novochizol Induces Virus-Neutralizing Antibodies and Protects Animals from Lethal Viral Challenge

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Abstract
Avian influenza is a critical zoonotic infection threatening both the poultry industry and global public health. While traditional intramuscular vaccines elicit systemic im-munity, they often fail to provide robust local protection at mucosal surfaces. There is thus significant interest in the development of mucosal avian influenza vaccines administered via the intranasal route. However, in humans, this approach is significantly hampered by the availability of safe and effective adjuvants. This study investigated the immunogenic-ity of a modified recombinant influenza A/H5 hemagglutinin (rHA/H5-modif) formulated with Novochizol, a novel chitosan-derived delivery system, administered intranasally to laboratory animals. Our results demonstrate that mucosal immunization with the rHA/H5-modif/Novochizol complex induces potent humoral (IgG and IgA) and cell-mediated immune responses. Crucially, the formulation provided 100% survival in mice following a lethal challenge with highly pathogenic avian influenza A/H5. These findings position the rHA/H5-modif/Novochizol complex as a promising candidate for next-generation mucosal vaccines, in particular against highly pathogenic avian influen-za A/H5 subtype.

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