Aims: Streptococcus pneumoniae is one the world’s foremost bacterial pathogens that cause massive global mortality and morbidity in young children and immunocompromised adults especially in developing countries. Biofilms have been increasingly recognized as an important prerequisite to disease. Individual S. pneumoniae strains differ markedly in their virulence phenotypes, but genetic heterogeneity has complicated attempts to identify any association between a given clonal lineage and propensity to cause a particular disease type. This study investigated serotype 19 S. pneumoniae from blood and ear isolates for biofilm formation capacity in relation to isolate source, pH and ferric oxide [Fe(III)] supplementation. Methodology and results: Viable count and density biofilm assays, microscopy and multi locus sequence typing (MLST) were applied to investigate biofilm formation capacity and genetic diversity of serotype 19 S. pneumoniae from blood and ear isolates. Generally, blood isolates were observed to produce more biofilms at both pH 7.4 and 6.8 compared to the ear isolates. The supplementation of Fe(III) was also found to support biofilm growth. Upon MLST typing of the isolates, marked differences in biofilm formation within the same sequence types (ST) of ST199 and ST177 was observed. This strongly indicated that strains within the same sequence type show differences in biofilm formation capacity. Conclusion, significance and impact of study This study showed that despite belonging to the same serotype, serotype 19, S. pneumoniae blood and ear isolates showed high diversity in biofilm formation ability in relation to pH and Fe(III) supplementation. Additionally, pneumococcal isolates from sequence types ST199 and ST177 also gave rise to differences in biofilm formation ability within the same sequence type (ST). The diversity of biofilm formation within serotype 19 seen in this study is significant to further inform of vaccination strategies against pneumococcal infections, in that due to variations in biofilm formation capacity within the same ST. It is possible that within serotype 19 may show variable vaccination or drug treatment responses. This also indicates that the current treatment strategy which employs specific serotype selection as for PCV14 and PCV7 pneumococcal vaccines may not produce the desired therapeutic results.
Streptococcus pneumoniae--immunology ; Biofilms--radiation effects

Pneumococcal disease is a serious global public health problem and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality of children and adults in China. Antibiotics are commonly used to treat pneumococcal disease. However, antibiotic resistance to Streptococcus pneumoniae has become a severe problem around the world due to widespread antibiotic use. Immunoprophylaxis of pneumococcal disease with pneumococcal vaccines is therefore of great importance. In this article, we review the etiology, clinical presentation, epidemiology, and disease burden of pneumococcal disease and the vaccinology of pneumococcal vaccines. Our review is based on the Expert Consensus on Immunoprophylaxis of Pneumococcal Disease (2017 version), the Pneumococcal Vaccines WHO Position Paper (2019), and recent national and international scientific advances. This consensus article aims to provide public health and vaccination staff with appropriate evidence for pneumococcal vaccine use and to improve professional capacity for pneumococcal disease prevention and control.
Adult ; Child ; China/epidemiology* ; Consensus ; Humans ; Pneumococcal Infections/prevention & control* ; Pneumococcal Vaccines/therapeutic use* ; Streptococcus pneumoniae/immunology* ; Vaccines, Conjugate/administration & dosage*

Pneumococcal disease is one of the serious global public health problems, and an important leading cause of the morbidity and mortality of children and adults in China. Currently, antibiotics are the most choices for its clinical treatment. However, antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae has become a severe problem around the world due to the wide use of antibiotics. Hence, the prevention of pneumococcal disease by using pneumococcal vaccines is of great importance. In this article, we reviewed the etiology, clinic, epidemiology, disease burden of pneumococcal disease, and the vaccinology of pneumococcal vaccines, based on the Pneumococcal Vaccines WHO Position Paper (2012) and other latest evidence globally, to introduce comprehensive knowledge of pneumococcal disease, and for the purpose to improve the capacity of the professionals working on pneumococcal disease control and prevention and to provide appropriate evidences of pneumococcal vaccine applications for people who are engaged in public health and immunization vaccination.
Adult ; Child ; China/epidemiology* ; Consensus ; Humans ; Pneumococcal Infections/prevention & control* ; Pneumococcal Vaccines/administration & dosage* ; Public Health ; Streptococcus pneumoniae/immunology* ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, Conjugate/administration & dosage*

Objective: To explore the effect of influenza and 23 valent pneumococcal polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccinations on symptom-improvement among elderly with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). Methods: Data was gathered from 4 communities in 3 National Demonstration Areas set for comprehensive prevention and control of chronic non- communicable diseases in Chongqing city and Ningbo city respectively, from November 2013 to October 2014. The communities were selected by cluster sampling and divided into 4 groups: (1) injected influenza vaccines; (2) injected with pneumococcal vaccines; (3) received both of the two vaccines; (4) the control group that without any intervention measures. All the subjects aged from 60 to 75 were selected to fill in demographic information questionnaire and receive (COPD assessment test, CAT) scores twice, before intervention and 1 year after the vaccination. SAS 9.4 software was used to analyze the change of symptoms and CAT scores before and after the intervention program and comparing the improvement on symptoms among the elderly people under study. Results: A total of 1 244 subjects with nearly same baseline conditions after the propensity score matching, were involved in this study. CAT scores appeared as Median=21 (IQR: 17-26) at baseline. The CAT scores appeared as Median=18 (IQR: 14-24), decreasing in all the 3 vaccinated groups, one year after the intervention program (influenza vaccines, matching t test, t=-6.531, P=0.403; pneumococcal vaccines, Wilcoxon test, H=-9 623, P<0.001; combined vaccine vaccines, matching t test, t=-10.803, P<0.001). However, in the control group, no obvious change was observed (Wilcoxon H=1 167, P=0.403). Proportions of impacts at high or very high levels all decreased in the 3 intervention groups, while little change was observed in the control group. Outcomes from the Factorial analysis suggested that influenza vaccination could improve the general conditions and symptoms including cough, chest tightness, dyspnea, physical activities, and stamina. Pneumococcal vaccination appeared more effective on all of symptoms and indicators. Conclusion: Pneumococcal and influenza vaccination seemed helpful for elderly people suffering COPD to improve the general health condition.
Aged ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines/immunology* ; Influenza, Human ; Pneumococcal Vaccines/immunology* ; Pneumonia, Pneumococcal/prevention & control* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/complications* ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vaccination/statistics & numerical data* ; Vaccine Potency

Although it is well known that pneumococcal conjugate vaccines provide cross-protection against some vaccine-related serotypes, these mechanisms are still unclear. This study was performed to investigate the role of cross-protective IgM antibodies against vaccine-related serotypes 6A, 6C, and 19A induced in children aged 12-23 months after immunization with 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7). We obtained serum samples from 18 Korean children aged 12-23 months after a PCV7 booster immunization. The serum IgG and IgM concentrations of serotypes 6B and 19F were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum. The opsonic indices (OIs) against vaccine serotypes 6B and 19F and vaccine-related serotypes 6A, 6C, and 19A were determined by an opsonophagocytic killing assay (OPA) in IgM-depleted and control serum. Both IgG and IgM antibodies in ELISA and opsonic indices in OPA against serotypes 6B and 19F were demonstrated in the immune serum. IgM depletion decreased the OIs against vaccine serotypes 6B (geometric means of OIs (GMIs) of 3,009 vs. 1,396, 38% reduction) and 19F (1,117 vs. 750, 36% reduction). In addition, IgM depletion markedly decreased the OIs against vaccine-related serotypes 6A (GMIs of 961 vs. 329, 70% reduction), 6C (432 vs. 185, 72% reduction), and 19A (301 vs. 166, 58% reduction). The booster immunization PCV7 induced protective antibodies in the form of both IgG and IgM isotypes. IgM antibodies contributed to eliciting cross-protection against vaccine-related serotypes as well as against vaccine serotypes.
Antibodies, Bacterial/blood ; Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine/*immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M/*blood ; Infant ; Pneumococcal Infections/*prevention & control ; Pneumococcal Vaccines/*immunology ; Serogroup ; Streptococcus pneumoniae/immunology

This study was performed to measure early changes in the serotype distribution of pneumococci isolated from children with invasive disease during the 3-year period following the introduction of 10- and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) in Korea. From January 2011 to December 2013 at 25 hospitals located throughout Korea, pneumococci were isolated among children who had invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Serotypes were determined using the Quellung reaction, and the change in serotype distribution was analyzed. Seventy-five cases of IPD were included. Eighty percent of patients were aged 3-59 months, and 32% had a comorbidity that increased the risk of pneumococcal infection. The most common serotypes were 19A (32.0%), 10A (8.0%), and 15C (6.7%). The PCV7 serotypes (4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, 23F, and 6A) accounted for 14.7% of the total isolates and the PCV13 minus PCV7 types (1, 3, 5, 7F and 19A) accounted for 32.0% of the total isolates. Serotype 19A was the only serotype in the PCV13 minus PCV7 group. The proportion of serotype 19A showed decreasing tendency from 37.5% in 2011 to 22.2% in 2013 (P = 0.309), while the proportion of non-PCV13 types showed increasing tendency from 45.8% in 2011 to 72.2% in 2013 (P = 0.108). Shortly after the introduction of extended-valent PCVs in Korea, serotype 19A continued to be the most common serotype causing IPD in children. Subsequently, the proportion of 19A decreased, and non-vaccine serotypes emerged as an important cause of IPD. The impact of extended-valent vaccines must be continuously monitored.
Adolescent ; Bacteremia/complications/diagnosis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Pneumococcal Infections/microbiology/*prevention & control ; Pneumococcal Vaccines/*immunology ; Republic of Korea ; Serotyping ; Streptococcus pneumoniae/*classification/isolation & purification ; Vaccines, Conjugate/*immunology

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between asthma and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in Korea. A retrospective population-based cohort study was conducted using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment database 2010-2011. The subjects included 935,106 (2010) and 952,295 (2011), of whom 398 (2010) and 428 (2011) patients with IPD were identified. There was significant difference in the prevalence of IPD in patients with and without asthma (0.07% vs. 0.02% in 2010 and 0.08% vs. 0.01% in 2011; P<0.001). After adjusting for age and gender, patients with asthma showed over a three-fold increased risk of IPD compared with patients without asthma (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.02-5.03 in 2010 / aOR, 5.44; 95% CI, 4.10-7.22 in 2011; P<0.001). These findings were also significant in children (aOR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.25-3.45 in 2010; P=0.005 / aOR, 3.26; 95% CI, 1.74-6.11 in 2011; P<0.001). Although diabetes mellitus was also significantly associated with IPD, relatively low ORs compared with those of asthma were noted (aOR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.35-2.54 in 2010 / aOR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.78-3.24 in 2011; P<0.001). Both children and adults with asthma are at increased risk of developing IPD.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asthma/complications/*epidemiology ; Child ; Cohort Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology ; Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine/immunology ; Humans ; Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/complications/*epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Pneumococcal Infections/complications/*epidemiology ; Pneumococcal Vaccines/immunology ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Streptococcus pneumoniae/pathogenicity ; Young Adult

Differentiated HL-60 is an effector cell widely used for the opsonophagocytic-killing assay (OPKA) to measure efficacy of pneumococcal vaccines. We investigated the correlation between phenotypic expression of immunoreceptors and phagocytic ability of HL-60 cells differentiated with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), or 1alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VitD3) for 5 days. Phenotypic change was examined by flow cytometry with specific antibodies to CD11c, CD14, CD18, CD32, and CD64. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry using 7-aminoactinomycin D. Function was evaluated by a standard OPKA against serotype 19F and chemiluminescence-based respiratory burst assay. The expression of CD11c and CD14 gradually increased upon exposure to all three agents, while CD14 expression increased abruptly after VitD3. The expression of CD18, CD32, and CD64 increased during differentiation with all three agents. Apoptosis remained less than 10% until day 3 but increased after differentiation by DMF or ATRA. Differentiation with ATRA or VitD3 increased the respiratory burst after day 4. DMF differentiation showed a high OPKA titer at day 1 which sustained thereafter while ATRA or VitD3-differentiated cells gradually increased. Pearson analysis between the phenotypic changes and OPKA titers suggests that CD11c might be a useful differentiation marker for HL-60 cells for use in pneumococcal OPKA.
Antibodies, Bacterial/immunology ; Antigens, CD11c/metabolism ; Antigens, CD14/metabolism ; Antigens, CD18/metabolism ; Apoptosis/*immunology ; Biological Assay ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cholecalciferol/pharmacology ; Dimethylformamide/pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Phagocytosis/*immunology ; Pneumococcal Vaccines/*immunology ; Receptors, IgG/metabolism ; Receptors, Immunologic/*biosynthesis ; Respiratory Burst/immunology ; Streptococcus pneumoniae/*immunology ; Tretinoin/pharmacology

Differentiated HL-60 is an effector cell widely used for the opsonophagocytic-killing assay (OPKA) to measure efficacy of pneumococcal vaccines. We investigated the correlation between phenotypic expression of immunoreceptors and phagocytic ability of HL-60 cells differentiated with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), or 1alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VitD3) for 5 days. Phenotypic change was examined by flow cytometry with specific antibodies to CD11c, CD14, CD18, CD32, and CD64. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry using 7-aminoactinomycin D. Function was evaluated by a standard OPKA against serotype 19F and chemiluminescence-based respiratory burst assay. The expression of CD11c and CD14 gradually increased upon exposure to all three agents, while CD14 expression increased abruptly after VitD3. The expression of CD18, CD32, and CD64 increased during differentiation with all three agents. Apoptosis remained less than 10% until day 3 but increased after differentiation by DMF or ATRA. Differentiation with ATRA or VitD3 increased the respiratory burst after day 4. DMF differentiation showed a high OPKA titer at day 1 which sustained thereafter while ATRA or VitD3-differentiated cells gradually increased. Pearson analysis between the phenotypic changes and OPKA titers suggests that CD11c might be a useful differentiation marker for HL-60 cells for use in pneumococcal OPKA.
Antibodies, Bacterial/immunology ; Antigens, CD11c/metabolism ; Antigens, CD14/metabolism ; Antigens, CD18/metabolism ; Apoptosis/*immunology ; Biological Assay ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cholecalciferol/pharmacology ; Dimethylformamide/pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Phagocytosis/*immunology ; Pneumococcal Vaccines/*immunology ; Receptors, IgG/metabolism ; Receptors, Immunologic/*biosynthesis ; Respiratory Burst/immunology ; Streptococcus pneumoniae/*immunology ; Tretinoin/pharmacology

BACKGROUND: Streptococcus pneumoniae causes life-threatening infections such as meningitis, pneumonia, and febrile bacteremia, particularly in young children. The increasing number of drug-resistant isolates has highlighted the necessity for intervening and controlling disease. To achieve this, information is needed on serotype distribution and patterns of antibiotic resistance in children. METHODS: All cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children aged less than 15 yr recorded at King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were reviewed for serotyping and antibiotic susceptibility. Isolates were collected from 78 consecutive patients with IPD between 2009 and 2012. All collected isolates were subjected to serotyping by co-agglutination, sequential multiplex PCR, and single PCR sequetyping as previously described. RESULTS: The most frequently isolated IPD serotypes were 23F, 6B, 19F, 18C, 4, 14, and 19A, which are listed in decreasing order and cover 77% of total isolates. The serotype coverage for the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)7, PCV10, and PCV13 was 77%, 81%, and 90%, respectively. Results from sequential multiplex PCR agreed with co-agglutination results. All serotypes could not be correctly identified using single PCR sequetyping. Minimum inhibitory concentration showed that 50 (64%) isolates were susceptible to penicillin, whereas 70 (90%) isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime. CONCLUSIONS: The most common pneumococcal serotypes occur with frequencies similar to those found in countries where the PCV has been introduced. The most common serotypes in this study are included in the PCVs. Addition of 23A and 15 to the vaccine would improve the PCV performance in IPD prevention.
Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*pharmacology ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics ; Cefotaxime/pharmacology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA, Bacterial/analysis ; Humans ; Infant ; Meningitis/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Penicillins/pharmacology ; Pneumococcal Vaccines/immunology ; Pneumonia/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases/genetics ; Retrospective Studies ; Saudi Arabia ; Serotyping ; Streptococcus pneumoniae/*drug effects/genetics