Measles vaccine in a spray

The spray could remove the need for needles

Scientists have developed a measles vaccine that is administered via an aerosol spray rather than a needle.

Supporters believe the spray will be quicker, easier and more effective than the traditional jab, with fewer side effects.

It would also mean children would have a pain-free way of receiving the vaccine.

Children would be given the vaccine by breathing through a mask for just 30 seconds.

It engenders a type of immunity, of protection, that is more favourable

Professor Joseph Ballantine, Georgetown University

Experts who developed the spray used it to give a combined measles and rubella vaccine to over 2,000 children.

Better protection

Researchers in South Africa have also successfully tested a measles vaccine in an spray. It was found it was more effective at preventing the disease than the traditional jab.

The team from Mexico have not yet had the spray approved by regulatory bodies.

But they are to present their findings to the World Health Organization this month.

Even if the work is approved, it could be three years before the spray is widely available.

Professor Joseph Ballantine, director of the International Immunology Centre at Georgetown University in Washington, USA told BBC Radio 4's Today programme aerosol vaccines had many merits.

"It's much easier to administer. And it is the natural route by which measles virus is contracted and spread.

"It avoids the need of a needle and syringe. And, perhaps most importantly, it engenders a type of immunity, of protection, that is more favourable."

Professor Ballantine believes the aerosol would offer better protection because it would exercises the mucosal immune system in the nose and throat, rather than the systemic immune system in the blood and muscles that an injection stimulates.

This is important because measles is transmitted through the nose and throat.

Professor Ballantine also hopes vaccines for other diseases such as flu and mumps could also be given via an aerosol spray.

Natural route

Dr Andrew Wakefield, whose controversial research has linked the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease also backed the spray.

He said it could be safer: "This would alleviate many of our fears, provided that the appropriate safety studies were conducted, because you are taking one of the variables out of the equation in giving it by the natural route of exposure."

The Department of Health told the BBC it could not comment on unpublished research, and restated its support for MMR vaccine.