The Tattoo Vaccine

Q: I’m a big fan of tattoo art and recently heard that tattoos might be a better way to deliver vaccinations than traditional injections. Is there any truth to that idea?

A: According to a study reported in the journal Genetic Vaccines and Therapy, tattooing procedures were used to deliver experimental DNA vaccines and resulted in a stronger antibody response than three doses of traditional injections into the muscle. But don't drive over to your local tattoo parlor just yet, because that study involved mice. More research is needed to determine whether the same tattooing technique would trigger a strong antibody response in humans. If all goes well and it proves to be an effective and safe vaccine, this may be one tattoo you don’t regret!

How does the tattoo vaccine work?

Unlike the tattoo machine used at the tattoo studios, the modified tattoo vaccination gun uses no ink. Instead, its vibrating solid needle implants DNA fragments under the skin (epidermis and the upper dermis) in an area approximately one centimeter in width and depth. This results in an irritated and inflamed wound, which in turn is thought to prime the immune system into triggering a stronger response. In fact, the researchers found that the series of three DNA vaccines produced an antibody response that was 16 times greater than the series of single needle intramuscular vaccinations.

More about antibodies and disease prevention

Our bodies protect themselves from infection in many ways, including the production of antibodies. These are types of proteins designed to inactivate, neutralize or destroy invading organisms. In other words, antibodies fight infectious germs and provide immunity against disease. There are different ways of acquiring immunity:

• Active immunity occurs when the body produces antibodies after exposure to a disease (natural active immunity) or after receiving a vaccine containing a small dose of a weakened or inactivated form of the disease (acquired active immunity). While these types of immunity take days or weeks to develop, their protection is long lasting (sometimes lifelong) against a specific disease.
• Passive immunity is provided to an individual when they are given antibodies. In contrast to active immunity, this type provides immediate but short-lived (weeks to four months) protection to a specific disease. That said, passive immunity is obtained in two ways:
• Ready-made antibodies that are transferred to the baby across the placenta during pregnancy or while breastfeeding (natural passive immunity)
• Via ready-made antibodies obtained from immune individuals or animals known as immunoglobulin (acquired passive immunity)

Where does the tattoo vaccine fit in?

While the promise of this type of vaccine may seem bright, it is important to know that a tattoo vaccine is not close to widespread use in humans. In fact, it may be many more years before that may occur.

Looking toward the future, DNA vaccination via tattooing may prove useful if a faster and stronger immune response is needed for protection against an emerging health concern, such as pandemic influenza. This may be especially true if the DNA vaccine can be produced quickly and is found to be safe and effective.

When I consider whether most of us would someday consider a tattoo as the delivery method for a vaccine, however, one word comes to mind: pain. Anyone who's ever received a tattoo can probably identify with that idea. This makes it more likely that the "tattoo" vaccine would have a future use in the treatment (rather than prevention) of a specific disease.

For further information on vaccines, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the National Network for Immunization Information.  

More on Vaccinations on MSN Health & Fitness:

• Vaccination Guide
• First Batch of Swine Flu Vaccine Already Here
• Even Grown-Ups Need Shots
• Search: Swine Flu News
• Image Search: Tattoo Art

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Robert Danoff, D.O., M.S., is a family physician and program director of The Family Practice Residency, as well as the combined Family Practice/Emergency Medicine Residency programs at Frankford Hospitals, Jefferson Health System, Philadelphia, Pa. He is the medical correspondent for CN8, The Comcast Network, a regular contributor to Discovery Health Online and a contributing writer to The New York Times Special Features. (Read his full bio.)