This review examines nasal mucosal immunity in the context of respiratory viral infection, covering epithelial and immune cell responses, correlates of protection, and intranasal vaccination strategies in mice and humans.
Recent advances — including single-cell RNA sequencing and air-liquid interface models — have clarified how nasal epithelial and immune cells coordinate to resolve infection, limit spread to lower airways, and restrict onward transmission; the review highlights key differences between protection conferred by intranasal vaccination versus intramuscular vaccination.
This is a narrative review based on existing literature; it does not present original experimental data. Findings are drawn from both mouse and human studies, and cross-species generalizability may be limited. The full text was not available for detailed appraisal.
Intranasal vaccination strategies may offer distinct, locally mediated immune protection compared to intramuscular routes — clinicians should follow emerging trials of mucosal vaccines targeting nasal tissue-resident memory as a strategy to reduce both disease and viral transmission.
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