Use of Streptococcus gordonii as a live oral vector to prevent infectious diseases

We are attempting to make a live oral vaccine against whooping cough. The research is to use genetic means to make a bacterium called Streptococcus gordonii that normally lives in the human mouth to become a vaccine. The ability of this vaccine bacteria to induce immunity and protection against infection by the whooping cough bacterium will be tested in mice. The vaccine bacterium can colonize the mouth for a long time therefore it has the potential of becoming a very economical vaccine. The vaccine will be given orally and will not require needle injections.