If you've ever gotten a horrible tattoo in the past (I'm looking at you as I type, misbegotten Tasmanian Devil), you may soon have the best excuse for it ever: "I didn't know what to get, and it was time for my flu shot."
Soon tribal bands, tramp stamps and ubiquitous flaming skulls could serve as delivery mechanisms for vaccines, as researchers in Germany discovered that tattooing mice with vaccines produced 16 times more antibodies than conventional muscle injections. The scientists think that since a a vibrating tattoo needle produces greater tissue damage than a single needle, it provokes a stronger and faster immune response.
In the near future, tattoos could provide an excellent delivery method for therapeutic vaccines designed to prevent against all types of diseases, including specific types of cancer. Also, you can get that totally rad Ratt tattoo you've always been too shy to splurge on.
The original BBC article doesn't say what inspired the scientists to tattoo mice with vaccinated ink in the first place, but I'm betting it involved at least one back piece, a friendly wager and a whole lot of mescaline.
Sadly, the researchers don't think the method has an application in preventative vaccines for children:
The scientists say that the tattoo needles would never be suitable for preventative vaccines, such as measles, in children as the pain would be too great.
Oh, I don't know about that. It's never too early for baby's first sleeve.
Tattoos may help deliver vaccine (BBC)
via io9
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