Oral immunization with filovirus-like particles partially protects IFNAR−/− mice against lethal ebola virus challenge

Ebola virus (EBOV), a member of the Filoviridae family, is responsible for severe hemorrhagic fever outbreaks with high case fatality rates in humans. Although injectable vaccines have shown efficacy, their deployment remains challenging in outbreak settings due to cold-chain requirements and the need for trained personnel. Oral vaccination offers an attractive alternative, combining ease of administration with the potential to induce both mucosal and systemic immunity. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of an orally-administered Ebola virus filovirus-like particle (EBOV-VLP) vaccine in type I interferon receptor-deficient (IFNAR^-/^-) mice. Mice received one or three oral doses of EBOV-VLP prior to intranasal challenge with a lethal dose of EBOV. Our data demonstrate that oral immunization with EBOV-VLP elicits specific humoral immune responses and confers partial protection against lethal EBOV infection. These findings support further exploration of VLP-based oral vaccines as a potential component of EBOV disease preparedness strategies.