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Vaccines (Basel) 2019 Feb 11;7(1). Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Mucosal and Vaccine Research Program Colorado (MAVRC), Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.

Bacterial pathogens expressing capsular polysaccharides are common causes of mucosal infections (pneumonia, intestinal), as well as often fatal, invasive infections (meningitis, bloodstream infections) in children and adults worldwide. These chemically simple but structurally complex carbohydrate structures on the bacterial surface confer resistance to recognition and clearance by the immune system through a range of mechanisms. Such recognition of capsular polysaccharides may be reduced by their limited ability to directly stimulate B cells and the T cells that may facilitate these humoral responses. Read More

PLoS One 2019 12;14(2):e0212022. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Hospital Universitario Donostia-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain.

Nowadays, more than 95 different Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes are known, being less than one third responsible for the majority of severe pneumococcal infections. After the introduction of conjugate vaccines, a change in the epidemiology of the serotypes causing invasive pneumococcal disease has been observed making the surveillance of circulating serotypes especially relevant. Some recent studies have used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technology to identify the most frequent pneumococcal serotypes that cause invasive disease. Read More

Front Microbiol 2019 28;10:11. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.

The risk of suffering from some infectious diseases can be related to specific microbiota profiles. Specifically, the nasopharyngeal microbiota could play a role as a risk or protective factor in the development of invasive disease caused by . We analyzed the nasopharyngeal microbiota of children with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and that of healthy controls matched by age, sex, and seasonality from Catalonia, Spain. Read More

Vaccines (Basel) 2019 Feb 4;7(1). Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia.

We investigated the immunogenicity, seroprotection rates and persistence of immune memory in young children at high risk of pneumococcal disease in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Children were primed with 10-valent (PCV10) or 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV13) at 1, 2 and 3 months of age and randomized at 9 months to receive PPV (PCV10/PPV-vaccinated, n = 51; PCV13/PPV-vaccinated, n = 52) or no PPV (PCV10/PPV-naive, n = 57; PCV13/PPV-naive, n = 48). All children received a micro-dose of PPV at 23 months of age to study the capacity to respond to a pneumococcal challenge. Read More

Ann Rheum Dis 2019 Feb 1. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Rheumatology, Disciplina de Reumatologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2019 Jan 23;119:123-130. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Division of Pediatrics, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel; Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. Electronic address:

Objectives: To evaluate the epidemiology, microbiology, Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes distribution and serious bacterial infections (SBIs) occurrence in infants <2 months of age with tympanocentesis-documented acute otitis media (AOM), before and after the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs).

Methods: The medical records of all hospitalized infants with AOM who underwent tympanocentesis during 2005-2014 were reviewed.

Results: Of the 303 infants with AOM who were diagnosed by an ENT specialist, 182 underwent tympanocentesis, 92 during 2005-2009 (prevaccine period) and 90 during 2010-2014 (postvaccine period). Read More

Ter Arkh 2018 Nov;90(11):55-61

Novosibirsk City Hospital №2, Novosibirsk, Russia.

Aim: To establish the efficacy of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) for healthcare workers protection from occupational acquired infection and impact of healthcare staff vaccination on the risk of transmission to patients.

Materials And Methods: Healthcare personnel (n=157 of whom 105 critical care department staff) and 1770 patients of that critical care department observed. Healthcare workers received PCV13. Read More

Ter Arkh 2018 Feb;90(1):22-26

Research Institute of Pulmonology Federal medico-biological agency, Moscow, Russia.

Aim: In order to assess the impact of influenza vaccination and pneumococcal infection (PI) were studied seasonal morbidity and mortality because of influenza, acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) and pneumonia among the population of the Russian Federation during 2012-2016 timeframe.

Materials And Methods: There were analyzed the data of Federal service for surveillance in consumer rights protection and human welfare (Rospotrebnadzor) on influenza vaccination and PI and ARVI morbidity (including influenza), diseases of the respiratory system (DRS). The information on mortality of the population of Russia because of these diseases received from official publications of the Federal State statistics service (Rosstat) and The Ministry of health of the Russian Federation (Ministry of Health of Russia) on the mortality rates of the population of Russia because of these illnesses. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Jan 30;9(1):971. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.

Pneumococcal infections remain a leading cause of death in older adults, with the most serious cases occurring in persons ≥65 years of age. There is an urgent need to investigate molecular pathways underlying these impairments and devise new therapeutics to modulate innate immunity. The goal of our current study is to understand the impact of chronological aging on mitochondrial function in response to Streptococcus pneumoniae, a causative agent of bacterial pneumonia. Read More

PLoS One 2019 30;14(1):e0210520. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Despite the availability of a pneumococcal National Immunization Program, which provides free PPSV23 vaccination for older adults aged ≥65 years in South Korea, pneumococcal pneumonia remains one of the most common respiratory infections, with increasing antimicrobial resistance. From January to December in 2015, all pneumococcal isolates were collected from a 1,050-bed teaching hospital in South Korea. All isolates were analyzed for serotype, genotype, and antimicrobial susceptibility. Read More

Hum Vaccin Immunother 2019 Jan 28. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

a Department of Rheumatology , the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou , China.

Objective Vaccines including pneumococcal and influenza vaccines are recommended in patients with immunosuppressive treatment. However, vaccine coverage remains extremely low. Our study was to investigate vaccination uptake, knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards certain vaccinations among these patients, and to identify the factors influencing willingness to be vaccinated. Read More

Vaccine 2019 Feb 23;37(8):1021-1029. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: Despite the use of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) in adults there is substantial morbidity and mortality in the elderly due to pneumococcal infections. Since 2010, the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) is in use for infant immunization programs to reduce rates of pneumococcal disease, but is not routinely used in adults. Recent literature suggests PCV13 may be used in adult vaccination programs as well. Read More

Ann Hematol 2019 Mar 25;98(3):775-779. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Infectious Diseases Unit, 1st Department of Paediatrics, Aghia Sofia Children's Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Thivon & Levadias Str, 115 27, Athens, Greece.

Streptococcus pnemoniae is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among splenectomised patients with β-thalassemia major. We have previously shown that a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) induces robust early immune responses in such patients, while history of repeated immunisations with the 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine (PPSV23) results in attenuation of the response to PCV13. However, the duration of vaccine-induced protection in splenectomised thalassemic patients and the associated need for booster immunisation remains unclear. Read More

Front Microbiol 2018 8;9:3199. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.

is a highly impactful bacterial pathogen on a global scale. The principal pneumococcal virulence factor and target of effective vaccines is its polysaccharide capsule, of which there are many structurally distinct forms. Here, we describe four distinct strains of three Mitis group commensal species (, , and ) recovered from upper respiratory tract specimens from adults in Kenya and the United States that were PCR-positive for the pneumococcal serotype 5 specific gene, . Read More

IDCases 2019 8;15:e00489. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit - Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is an uncommon manifestation of invasive pneumococcal disease and frequently occurs when an underlying hepatic disease is present. Bacterial identification through culture can be particularly challenging in patients with prior or concurrent antimicrobial use. DNA amplification detects very few copies of target DNA under ideal conditions in CSF or pleural effusion and, therefore, can be useful in selected infections. Read More

MBio 2019 Jan 15;10(1). Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

is commonly carried asymptomatically in the human nasopharynx, but it also causes serious and invasive diseases such as pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis, as well as less serious but highly prevalent infections such as otitis media. We have previously shown that closely related pneumococci (of the same capsular serotype and multilocus sequence type [ST]) can display distinct pathogenic profiles in mice that correlate with clinical isolation site (e.g. Read More

Nat Commun 2019 01 14;10(1):178. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Respiratory Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, 30333, Georgia, USA.

Bacterial mutations predisposing pneumococcus to causing meningitis, a more severe form of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), are largely unknown. Knowledge of such mutations may improve our understanding of pathogenesis and inform preventive strategies. Here we report a pneumococcal pbp1b gene mutation (pbp1bA641C causing N214T change in PBP1b transglycosylase domain) that is associated with meningitis in an exploratory cohort of IPD patients (n = 2054, p = 6. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019 Jan 14;116(5):1802-1807. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Biostatistics, Biomathematics, Pharmacoepidemiology and Infectious Diseases (B2PHI), INSERM, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris-Saclay, F75724 Paris, France.

Infections caused by -including invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPDs)-remain a significant public health concern worldwide. The marked winter seasonality of IPDs is a striking, but still enigmatic aspect of pneumococcal epidemiology in nontropical climates. Here we confronted age-structured dynamic models of carriage transmission and disease with detailed IPD incidence data to test a range of hypotheses about the components and the mechanisms of pneumococcal seasonality. Read More

Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019 Jan 14. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China

is one of the leading pathogens that cause a variety of mucosal and invasive infections. With the increased emergence of multidrug-resistant , new antimicrobials with mechanisms of action different from conventional antibiotics are urgently needed. In this study, we identified a putative lysin (gp20) encoded by the phage SPSL1 using the LytA autolysin as a template. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Jan 9;9(1). Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Instituto de Microbiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.

We evaluated the impact of continued 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) use in the private market (uptake of 61%) in pediatric invasive pneumococcal disease (pIPD) in Portugal (2012-2015). The most frequently detected serotypes were: 3 (n = 32, 13.8%), 14 (n = 23, 9. Read More

World J Pediatr 2019 Jan 7. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.

Background: Bloodstream infections (BSIs) cause significant morbidity and mortality of children worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate BSI in children and determine the identity of causative organism and their susceptibility patterns in a metropolitan public hospital in Australia.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed children aged 0-16 years admitted to a public hospital from January 1, 2010 to August 31, 2014 inclusive, and whose blood cultures revealed bacteraemia. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2019 Jan 7;19(1):24. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Zhejiang-Californina International Nanosystems Institute, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, China.

Background: Many upper respiratory pathogens cause similar symptoms. In China, routine molecular tests for upper respiratory pathogens are not widely performed and antibiotics abuse in treating upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) is a major public health concern.

Methods: We performed qualitative real-time PCR tests to detect common upper respiratory tract pathogens including 9 viruses and 3 bacteria in 1221 nasopharyngeal swabs from patients with fever and influenza-like symptoms in a Chinese city. Read More

Pneumonia (Nathan) 2018 25;10:13. Epub 2018 Dec 25.

1Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory 0810 Australia.

Background: Indigenous children in Australia's Northern Territory are densely colonised with the pneumococcus within weeks of birth antecedent to a high prevalence of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI). We assessed the impact of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23vPPV) in pregnancy against infant ALRI in this setting.

Methods: In an open label, allocation concealed, outcome-assessor blinded, randomised controlled trial conducted in the Northern Territory of Australia, healthy Indigenous women aged 17-39 years were randomised to receive the 23vPPV during pregnancy ( = 75; 30-36 weeks gestation), at birth ( = 75), or at 7 months post-partum ( = 77). Read More

Epidemiol Mikrobiol Imunol 2018 ;67(3):99-103

Objective: Molecular characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates recovered in the Czech Republic from previously vaccinated patients diagnosed with invasive pneumococcal disease caused by vaccine serotypes in 2012-2014. The target group were children under five years of age.

Material And Methods: S. Read More

J Infect Chemother 2019 Mar 29;25(3):163-169. Epub 2018 Dec 29.

The Promotion Committee for Proper Use of Pediatric Quinolones of Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases and the Japanese Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.

During the period from January to December 2015, 104 Streptococcus pneumoniae strains, 129 Haemophilus influenzae strains and 54 Moraxella catarrhalis strains isolated from clinical specimens of pediatric infections in the national 16 institutions, studied susceptibilities of total 28 antibiotics, the capsular serotype for S. pneumoniae, the capsular b type and β-lactamase production capability for H. influenzae, and the β-lactamase production capability for M. Read More

Iran J Immunol 2018 Dec;15(4):309-320

Dr BehcetUz Children's Hospital, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Izmir, Istanbul, Turkey.

Background: Primary complement deficiencies are rare diseases.

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the clinical and laboratory findings and complications of patients to increase awareness of pediatricians about complement deficiencies, which are rarely encountered.

Methods: In this study, the clinical and immunological characteristics of 21 patients who consulted the Immunology Department of our hospital between 2003 and 2017 and were diagnosed with classical or alternative pathway complement deficiency were obtained from the file records. Read More

Int Marit Health 2018;69(4):278-284

National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (NCIRS), The Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Australia; WHO Collaborating Centre for Mass Gatherings and High Consequence/High Visibility Events, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.

Background: Hajj pilgrims are encouraged to take influenza and pneumococcal vaccines prior to their travel to safeguard against acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs). It is unclear whether dual immunisation with influenza and pneumococcal vaccines have had any impact on ARTI symptoms. To this end, we have examined the data of the last several years to assess whether combined influenza and pneumococcal vaccination has affected the rate of ARTI symptoms among Hajj pilgrims. Read More

Indian Pediatr 2018 11;55(11):947-949

International Vaccine Access Center, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA.

Vaccine 2019 Jan 23;37(4):623-630. Epub 2018 Dec 23.

Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry 605008, India.

Background: World Health Organization has recommended the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in the childhood immunisation programme of all the countries in the world. In lieu of its introduction in India, there is a need to generate evidence on cost-effectiveness of this vaccine. The current study looks into the impact and cost-effectiveness of PCV vaccine in India. Read More

PLoS One 2018 26;13(12):e0209657. Epub 2018 Dec 26.

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America.

Among 98 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae, only a small subset regularly causes invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD). We previously demonstrated that serotype 11A binds to ficolin-2 and has low invasiveness in children. Epidemiologic data suggested, however, that serotype 11A IPD afflicts older adults, possibly indicating reduced ficolin-2-mediated immune protection. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2018 Dec 26:e13043. Epub 2018 Dec 26.

Faculty of Medicine, Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Background: This cross-sectional survey aimed to establish the prevalence of infectious diseases and vaccination uptake in long-term allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT) survivors in New South Wales, in order to reduce long-term post-HSCT morbidity and mortality and enhance long-term care.

Patients And Methods: Hematopoietic stem cell transplants survivors aged over 18 years and transplanted between 2000-2012 in New South Wales (NSW) were eligible to participate. Survivors self-completed the Sydney Post BMT Study survey, FACT-BMT (V4), Chronic Graft versus Host Disease (cGVHD) Activity Assessment Self Report, Lee Chronic GvHD Symptom Scale, DASS21, Post Traumatic Growth Inventory, and the Fear of Recurrence Scale. Read More

J Intern Med 2018 Dec 25. Epub 2018 Dec 25.

Department of Immunology and Institute of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.

It is now well recognized that cardiovascular events (CVE) occur quite commonly, both in the acute phase and in the long-term, in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). CVE have been noted in up to 30% of patients hospitalized with all-cause CAP. One systematic review and meta-analysis of hospitalized patients with all-cause CAP noted that the incidence rates for overall cardiac events were 17. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2018 30;30:235. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Centre de Recherche Médicale et Sanitaire (CERMES), BP 10887, 634 Bd de la Nation, YNo34 Niamey, Niger.

Introduction: Bacterial meningitis (BM) is one of the most severe infectious disease in Niger republic. To best describe the trends of BM disease, meningitis surveillance data from the Centre de Recherche Medicale et Sanitaire (CERMES) and the Direction of Surveillance and Response to Epidemics (DSRE) were reviewed and analyzed.

Methods: Data on number of notified cases of BM and on pathogens were analyzed during 2003-2015. Read More

Eur J Pharm Sci 2019 Mar 17;129:31-41. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Unité Fonctionnalité et Ingénierie des Protéines (UFIP), UMR CNRS 6286, Université de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP92208, 44322 Nantes Cedex, France. Electronic address:

Pneumococcal infections remain a major public health concern worldwide. The currently available vaccines in the market are based on pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides but they still need to be improved to secure an optimal coverage notably in population at risk. To circumvent this, association of virulence pneumococcal proteins to the polysaccharide valencies has been proposed with the hope to observe an additive - if not synergistic - protective effect. Read More

Gates Open Res 2018 Aug 2;2:37. Epub 2018 Aug 2.

UCL Institute for Global Health, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.

The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was introduced in Malawi from November 2011 using a three dose primary series at 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age to reduce -related diseases. To date, PCV13 paediatric coverage in Malawi has not been rigorously assessed.  We used household surveys to longitudinally track paediatric PCV13 coverage in rural Malawi. Read More

Front Microbiol 2018 5;9:3013. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Institute for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

The Ami-AliA/AliB oligopeptide permease of has been suggested to play a role in environmental sensing and colonisation of the nasopharynx by this human bacterial pathogen by binding peptides derived from bacterial neighbours of other species in the microbiota. Here, we investigated the effects of the peptide ligands of the permease's substrate binding proteins AmiA, AliA, and AliB on pneumococcal phenotype. AmiA and AliA ligands reduced pneumococcal growth, increased biofilm production and reduced capsule size. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 Dec 18;18(1):672. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.

Background: Benefits of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine programs have been linked to the vaccine's ability to disrupt nasopharyngeal carriage and transmission. The 10-valent pneumococcal vaccine (PCV10) was included in the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in Sindh, Pakistan in February 2013. This study was carried out immediately before PCV10 introduction to establish baseline pneumococcal carriage and prevalent serotypes in young children and to determine if carriage differed in urban and rural communities. Read More

PLoS One 2018 18;13(12):e0209048. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Donostia University Hospital-Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain.

One of the beneficial effects of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) has been a decrease in the incidence of non-invasive infections, such as otitis media (OM) caused by vaccine serotypes. In this study, we analyzed the epidemiology of pneumococcal OM before and after PCV13 introduction in 2010. Between 2008 and 2016, the middle ear exudates from 2653 children under 14 years of age with OM were studied in two Spanish provinces (Gipuzkoa and Barcelona), and S. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018 12;115(51):E11988-E11995

Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115.

Bystander selection-the selective pressure for resistance exerted by antibiotics on microbes that are not the target pathogen of treatment-is critical to understanding the total impact of broad-spectrum antibiotic use on pathogenic bacterial species that are often carried asymptomatically. However, to our knowledge, this effect has never been quantified. We quantify bystander selection for resistance for a range of clinically relevant antibiotic-species pairs as the proportion of all antibiotic exposures received by a species for conditions in which that species was not the causative pathogen ("proportion of bystander exposures"). Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018 12;115(51):12911-12919

Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115.

We discuss the need to make economic evaluations of vaccines antimicrobial resistance (AMR)-sensitive and ways to do so. Such AMR-sensitive evaluations can play a role in value-for-money comparisons of different vaccines within a national immunization program, or in comparisons of vaccine-centric and non-vaccine-centric technologies within an anti-AMR program. In general terms, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios and rates of return and their associated decision rules are unaltered by consideration of AMR-related value. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018 12;115(51):12896-12901

Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 45999

Vaccines impact antibiotic-resistant infections in two ways: through a direct reduction in the organisms and strains carrying resistant genes that are specifically targeted by the vaccine and also via a secondary effect through a reduction in febrile illnesses that often lead to the use of antibiotics. We review here the impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) on the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant disease and antibiotic usage as an example of the direct effect of vaccines on antibiotic resistance and the impact of influenza vaccination on antibiotic usage as an example of a secondary effect. A prelicensure study of a PCV in Africa demonstrated 67% fewer penicillin-resistant invasive disease episodes in the PCV group compared with controls. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 Dec 17;18(1):666. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo Prefectural Kaibara Hospital, 5208-1, Kaibara, Kaibara-cho, Tanba, Hyogo, 669-3395, Japan.

Background: Pneumococci normally reside in the nasopharynx, and when individuals are in close contact with each other such as in a community or a family setting, it is transmitted from carriers and sometimes results in pneumonia.

Case Presentation: Case 1: The patient was a 55-year-old woman who visited the hospital complaining of fever and headache. Lumbar pain occurred on hospital day 2, and purulent spondylitis was diagnosed using lumbar MRI. Read More

Interdiscip Perspect Infect Dis 2018 13;2018:2525173. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA.

is a gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic pathogen that can cause severe infections such as pneumonia, meningitis, septicemia, and middle ear infections. It is also one of the top pathogens contributing to bacterial keratitis and conjunctivitis. Though two pneumococcal vaccines exist for the prevention of nonocular diseases, they do little to fully prevent ocular infections. Read More

Infect Drug Resist 2018 26;11:2461-2469. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Department of Pediatrics, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China,

Purpose: causes serious infections globally, including invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). We analyze clinical features of pediatric IPD cases identified in China and antibiotic susceptibility of isolated pneumococcal strains.

Methods: Confirmed pediatric IPD patients were prospectively recruited to the study. Read More

Transfusion 2018 Dec;58 Suppl 3:3114-3120

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.

Background: Immunoglobulin replacement therapy is a cornerstone of the treatment of primary immunodeficiencies. Preparations used for replacement therapy are processed by purifying immunoglobulins from large pools of plasma, which were obtained from healthy donors. The constituent antibodies in these products depend on the immune history of the donor pool as well as manufacturing processes that differ among manufacturers. Read More

Transfusion 2018 Dec;58 Suppl 3:3106-3113

Regional Immunology Service, The Royal Hospitals, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust and Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) strains colonize the nasopharynx and can cause mucosal infections in the upper airway and middle ear, pneumonias, and invasive infections like bacteremia, sepsis, and meningitis. Over 90 serotypes, defined by the structure of their capsular polysaccharides, are known. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 12 10;12(12):e0006945. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Aix-Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, UMR Vecteurs-,InfectionsTropicales et Mediterranéennes (VITROME), Marseille, France.

Aside from malaria, infectious diseases are an important cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa and continue to pose major public health problems in African countries, notably pneumonia. Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most common bacterial cause of pneumonia in all age groups. The skin is one of the main infection sites followed by the oropharynx. Read More

Travel Med Infect Dis 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Aix Marseille Univ, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille (AP-HM), Service de Santé des Armées (SSA), Microbes Vecteurs Infections Tropicales et Méditerranéennes (VITROME), Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire-Méditerranée Infection (IHU-Méditerranée Infection), Marseille, France. Electronic address:

Background: The Islamic Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the world's largest annual mass gatherings. Inevitable overcrowding during the pilgrims' stay greatly increases the risk of acquiring and spreading infectious diseases, especially respiratory diseases.

Method: The MEDLINE/PubMed and Scopus databases were searched for all relevant papers published prior to February 2018 that evaluated the prevalence of clinical symptoms of respiratory infections, including pneumonia, among Hajj pilgrims, as well as their influenza and pneumococcal vaccination status. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 Dec 7;18(1):637. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Medicine, the University of New South Wales, Samuels Building, Room 209, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.

Background: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of pneumonia and secondary bacterial infections during the pandemic of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted to identify relevant literature in which clinical outcomes of pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infection were described. Published studies (between 01/01/2009 and 05/07/2012) describing cases of fatal or hospitalised A(H1N1)pdm09 and including data on bacterial testing or co-infection. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 Dec 5;18(1):628. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Background: When two or more vaccines are administered concurrently, there is concern about safety and immunogenicity from vaccine interaction.

Methods: Subjects aged ≥50 years were randomized 1:1:1 to receive tetanus-diphtheria (Td) + 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13; Group 1), PCV13 alone (Group 2), or Td alone (Group 3). After single or concomitant vaccination, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and opsonophagocytic assay (OPA) were performed to compare immunogenicity for Td and PCV13, respectively. Read More