Streptococcus pneumoniae Vaccine
Vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae
from James C. Paton writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Existing vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae are targeted at the capsular polysaccharide (PS) of which there are 91 distinct serotypes. Polyvalent purified PS vaccines are immunogenic in healthy adults, but not in high risk groups such as young children and the elderly. Development of PS-protein conjugate vaccines has overcome the poor immunogenicity of PS in children, but the protection imparted is strictly serotype-specific, and the number of included serotypes is even more restricted than in the PS vaccine formulations. Widespread introduction of conjugate vaccines in developed countries has dramatically reduced the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease due to serotypes included in the vaccine. However, these benefits are being eroded by increases in the incidence of disease caused by non-vaccine serotypes. Conjugate vaccines are also expensive, limiting their use in developing countries, where the burden of pneumococcal disease is greatest. Clearly, there is an urgent need to develop alternative pneumococcal vaccines that are (i) inexpensive, (ii) immunogenic in young children, and (iii) provide protection against all pneumococci regardless of serotype. Of particular importance are vaccines comprising pneumococcal proteins that contribute to virulence and are common to all serotypes.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies | Bacterial Polysaccharides: Current Innovations and Future Trends
from James C. Paton writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Existing vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae are targeted at the capsular polysaccharide (PS) of which there are 91 distinct serotypes. Polyvalent purified PS vaccines are immunogenic in healthy adults, but not in high risk groups such as young children and the elderly. Development of PS-protein conjugate vaccines has overcome the poor immunogenicity of PS in children, but the protection imparted is strictly serotype-specific, and the number of included serotypes is even more restricted than in the PS vaccine formulations. Widespread introduction of conjugate vaccines in developed countries has dramatically reduced the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease due to serotypes included in the vaccine. However, these benefits are being eroded by increases in the incidence of disease caused by non-vaccine serotypes. Conjugate vaccines are also expensive, limiting their use in developing countries, where the burden of pneumococcal disease is greatest. Clearly, there is an urgent need to develop alternative pneumococcal vaccines that are (i) inexpensive, (ii) immunogenic in young children, and (iii) provide protection against all pneumococci regardless of serotype. Of particular importance are vaccines comprising pneumococcal proteins that contribute to virulence and are common to all serotypes.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies | Bacterial Polysaccharides: Current Innovations and Future Trends
Staphylococcus Vaccines
Nosocomial infections: Staphylococcus aureus
from Alice G. Cheng, Olaf Schneewind and Dominique Missiakas writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent cause of human skin and soft tissue, bloodstream and respiratory tract infections. Staphylococcal strains have acquired antibiotic resistance traits against available therapies and drug-resistant strains (MRSA, methicillin-resistant S. aureus) are currently isolated in up to 80% of hospital and 60% of community-acquired infections (CA-MRSA). Unlike pneumococci and group A streptococci; S. aureus infections do not raise immunity against subsequent infections. Consistent with this observation, early efforts to develop vaccines from whole-cell killed preparations of staphylococci have failed. More recent work characterized proteins and carbohydrates in the staphylococcal envelope and examined these molecules as protective antigens in vaccine studies. A recent article reviews the pathogenesis of S. aureus infections as well as past and current efforts that have been pursued to develop effective vaccines.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies | Staphylococcus: Molecular Genetics
from Alice G. Cheng, Olaf Schneewind and Dominique Missiakas writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent cause of human skin and soft tissue, bloodstream and respiratory tract infections. Staphylococcal strains have acquired antibiotic resistance traits against available therapies and drug-resistant strains (MRSA, methicillin-resistant S. aureus) are currently isolated in up to 80% of hospital and 60% of community-acquired infections (CA-MRSA). Unlike pneumococci and group A streptococci; S. aureus infections do not raise immunity against subsequent infections. Consistent with this observation, early efforts to develop vaccines from whole-cell killed preparations of staphylococci have failed. More recent work characterized proteins and carbohydrates in the staphylococcal envelope and examined these molecules as protective antigens in vaccine studies. A recent article reviews the pathogenesis of S. aureus infections as well as past and current efforts that have been pursued to develop effective vaccines.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies | Staphylococcus: Molecular Genetics
Protective Capacity of Antibodies
Category: Vaccines | Immunology
New Analytical Approaches for Measuring Protective Capacity of Antibodies
from Moon H. Nahm and Carl E. Frasch writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Antibodies to the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule protect the host by opsonizing pneumococci for host phagocytes, while antibodies to the meningococcal polysaccharide capsule protect by directly killing meningococci in the presence of complement. In vitro measurement of serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) against the meningococcus has been used for a long time as a measure of protective immunity. Technical developments of pneumococcal opsonophagocytosis assays (OPA) in the past decade permit measurements of opsonic capacity of sera from persons immunized with pneumococcal vaccines. Experience with OPAs shows that opsonic capacities of antisera are better than their antibody levels in predicting vaccine efficacy. Thus, measurements of opsonic capacity could be a surrogate of clinical studies of pneumococcal vaccines. By being the surrogate for clinical studies, the assays for protective function of antibodies would reduce the need for large clinical trials and facilitate vaccine developments and improvements.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
from Moon H. Nahm and Carl E. Frasch writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Antibodies to the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule protect the host by opsonizing pneumococci for host phagocytes, while antibodies to the meningococcal polysaccharide capsule protect by directly killing meningococci in the presence of complement. In vitro measurement of serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) against the meningococcus has been used for a long time as a measure of protective immunity. Technical developments of pneumococcal opsonophagocytosis assays (OPA) in the past decade permit measurements of opsonic capacity of sera from persons immunized with pneumococcal vaccines. Experience with OPAs shows that opsonic capacities of antisera are better than their antibody levels in predicting vaccine efficacy. Thus, measurements of opsonic capacity could be a surrogate of clinical studies of pneumococcal vaccines. By being the surrogate for clinical studies, the assays for protective function of antibodies would reduce the need for large clinical trials and facilitate vaccine developments and improvements.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies