Streptococcus pneumoniae infections

Herd immunity refers to high levels of immunization in one population resulting in protection of another unvaccinated population. For example, concentrated vaccination of children with the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine resulted in decreased invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infection not only in the vaccinated children, but also in elderly persons within the same community. 

O Brien, D.P. et al., Tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor is important for survival from Streptococcus pneumoniae infections, Infect. Immun., 67, 595, 1999. 

Hammerschmidt, S., Bethe, G., Remane, P. H. and Chhatwal, G. S. (1999). Identification of pneumococcal surface protein A as a lactoferrin-binding protein of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Infect. Immun., 67, 1683-1687. 

Nayak, A. R., Tinge, S. A., Tart, R. C., McDaniel, L. S., and Briles, D. E., 3rd, and Curtiss, R. (1998), A live recombinant avirulent oral Salmonella vaccine expressing pneumococcal surface protein A induces protective responses against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Infect. Immun., 66,3744—3751. 

Streptococcus pneumoniae Infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae may cause both toxic liver damage and pneumococcal hepatitis with focal necroses, leading to the corresponding laboratory findings. In lobar pneumonia, jaundice (= biliary pneumonia) frequently occurs in the so-called grey hepatization stage. In addition to predominantly bacterial haemolytic jaundice, increased transaminases (20%) and cholestasis (10%) are found. The condition always regresses completely. A liver abscess induced by pneumococci is a rare event. (3-5, 9)... 

Benton KA, VanCott JL, Briles DE. Role of tumor necrosis factor alpha in the host response of mice to bacteremia caused by pneumolysin-deflcient Streptococcus pneumoniae. Infect Immun 1998 66(2) 839-842. 

Zysk G, Schneider-Wald BK, Flwang JFI, et al. Pneumolysin is the main inducer of cytotoxicity to brain micro-vascular endothelial cells causedby Streptococcus pneumoniae. Infect Immun. 2001 69(2) 845-852. 

Many polysaccharides contain branched structures and are chemically modified by the addition of other molecules. Their monomeric or repeat units are often made up of more than one sugar molecule and, consequently, can be quite complex. They form protective capsules of some of the most virulent microorganisms, capsules that, nevertheless, carry information that activate mammalian defenses the immune, interferon, and properdin systems [9, 136]. They are found as key portions of the exoskeletons of insects and arthropods and cell walls of plants and microbes and perform as reserve foodstuffs and important components of intercellular, mucous secretions, synovial and ocular fluids, and blood serum in many organisms. Food Applications compiles recent data on the food applications of marine polysaccharides from such various sources as fishery products, microorganisms, seaweeds, microalgae, and corals [137, 138]. One of the applications of this biopolymer relates to a method for protecting against diseases induced by Streptococcus pneumoniae infections, which comprises mucosal administration of a S. pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide to a patient in need. 

Butler JC, Breiman RF, Lipman HB, Hofmann J, Facklam RR. Serotype distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections among preschool children in the United States, 1978-1994 implications for development of a conjugate vaccine. J Infect Dis 1995 171 885-889. 

The improvement in the gut mucosal immunity induced by PPM was also effective against Salmonella infection (Maldonado Galdeano et al. 2011). Similar results were obtained when the probiotics strains Lact. easel CRL 431 and Lact. rhamnosus CRL 1505 were administered by oral or nasal routes respectively, against Streptococcus pneumoniae infections (Villena et al. 2006 Barbieri et al. 2013). Moreover, protection against Candida albicans infection in PEM mice was demonstrated by administering the probiotic strain L. easel CRL 431 (Villena et al. 2011). 

A 28-year-old married woman with three children is prescribed bacampicillin (Spectrobid) for an upper respiratory infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. W hat information would be important for you to obtain from this woman What special instructions would you give her because of her gender and age ... 

Meropenem (Merrem IV) inhibits syndiesis of die bacterial cell wall and causes die deadi of susceptible cells. This drug is used for intra-abdominal infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and odier susceptible organisms Meropenem also is effective against bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Hemophilus influenzae. 

The clinical relevance of this finding was suggested by the observation that mice were more susceptible to sepsis following infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae when basophils were depleted before the second vaccination with pneumoccocal antigen [22]. Antigen-specific IgG antibodies produced after the second vaccination were significantly lower in the basophil-depleted mice than in control mice. Thus, basophils are important contributors to humoral memory immune responses. 

Wang J, Barke RA, Charboneau R, Roy S (2005) Morphine impairs host innate immune response and increases susceptibility to streptococcus pneumoniae lung infection. J Immunol 174(l) 426-434... 

As the name implies, these organisms grow in pairs, otherwise they are similar to streptococci and are now referred to as streptococci. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the causal agent of acute lobar pneumonia and also of meningitis, peritonitis and conjunctivitis. This organism can also initiate an invasive infection. 

Although viral infections are important causes of both otitis media and sinusitis, they are generally self-limiting. Bacterial infections m complicate viral illnesses, and are also primary causes of ear and sinus infections. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae are the commonest bacterial pathogens. Amoxycillin is widely prescribed for these infections since it is microbiologically active, penetrates the middle ear, and sinuses, is well tolerated and has proved effective. 

Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the commonest cause of pneumonia and responds well to penicillin. In addition, a number of atypical infections may cause pneumonia and include Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, psittacosis and occasionally Q fever. With psittacosis there may be a history of contact with parrots or budgerigars while Legionnaires disease has often been acquired during hotel holidays... 

Bacterial meningitis is the most common cause of CNS infections. An epidemiologic review of bacterial meningitis in 1995 revealed that Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) was the most common pathogen (47%), followed by Neisseria... 

Dowell SF, Butler JC, Giebink GS, et al. Acute otitis media Management and surveillance in an era of pneumococcal resistance—A report from the Drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae Therapeutic Working Group. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1999 18(l) l-9. 

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial cause of community-acquired respiratory tract infections. S. pneumoniae causes approximately 3000 cases of meningitis, 50,000 cases of bacteremia, 500,000 cases of pneumonia, and over 1 million cases of otitis media each year. The increasing prevalence of drug-resistant S. pneumoniae has highlighted the need to prevent infection through vaccination. Both licensed pneumococcal vaccines are highly effective in preventing disease from the common S. pneumoniae serotypes that cause human disease. 

Jones, M. E. Blosser-Middleton, R. S. Thornsberry, C. Karlowsky, J. A. Sahm, D. F. The activity of levofloxacin and other antimicrobials against clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae collected worldwide during 1999-2002. Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 2003,47,579-586. 

Lim, P.L., Choy, W.F., Chan, S.T.H., Leung, D.T. and Ng, S.S. (1994) Transgene-encoded antiphosphorylcholine (T15+) antibodies protect CBA/N (xvl) mice against infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae but not TrichineUa spiralis. Infection and Immunity 62, 1658—1661. 

Acute complications of SCD include fever and infection (e.g., sepsis caused by encapsulated pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae), stroke, acute... 

CNS infections may be caused by a variety of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. The most common causes of bacterial meningitis include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Haemophilus influenzae. 

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