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Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2022 May 21;11(1):74. Epub 2022 May 21.

Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Rome, Italy.

Background: Patients hospitalised for COVID-19 may present with or acquire bacterial or fungal infections that can affect the course of the disease. The aim of this study was to describe the microbiological characteristics of laboratory-confirmed infections in hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19.

Methods: We reviewed the hospital charts of a sample of patients deceased with COVID-19 from the Italian National COVID-19 Surveillance, who had laboratory-confirmed bacterial or fungal bloodstream infections (BSI) or lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI), evaluating the pathogens responsible for the infections and their antimicrobial susceptibility. Read More

Mol Microbiol 2022 May 15. Epub 2022 May 15.

Department of Human Pathology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.

Binding of Streptococcus pneumoniae to collagen is likely an important step in the pathogenesis of pneumococcal infections, but little is known of the underlying molecular mechanisms. Streptococcal surface repeats (SSURE) are highly conserved protein domains present in cell wall adhesins from different Streptococcus species. We find here that SSURE repeats of the pneumococcal adhesin Plasminogen and fibronectin binding protein B (PfbB) bind to various types of collagen. Read More

Microb Genom 2022 May;8(5)

University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.

Native American individuals in the Southwestern USA experience a higher burden of invasive disease than the general population. However, little is known about carriage in these communities. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the carriage prevalence, risk factors and genomic epidemiology of among Native American children (<5 years, =121) and adults (≥18 years, =167) in the Southwestern USA. Read More

PLoS One 2022 11;17(5):e0267949. Epub 2022 May 11.

Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Ministério da Saúde, Maputo, Mozambique.

Background: Meningitis remains an important cause of morbi-mortality in adults in sub-Saharan Africa. Data on the etiological investigation of meningitis in adults in Mozambique is limited and most studies were conducted in southern Mozambique. Identification of the etiology of meningitis in adults are crucial to guide prevention and treatments strategies. Read More

WHO South East Asia J Public Health 2021 Jul-Dec;10(2):66-69

Department of Pediatrics, Tabanan General Hospital, Bali, Indonesia.

We investigated the nasopharyngeal (NP) carriage and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Streptococcus pneumoniae among adults and children with acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI). NP swabs were collected from ARTI patients in Tabanan, Bali, Indonesia, in 2017. Serotyping of S. Read More

Front Immunol 2022 22;13:878244. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.

Pneumolysin (PLY) is a pore-forming toxin produced by the human pathobiont , the major cause of pneumonia worldwide. PLY, a key pneumococcal virulence factor, can form transmembrane pores in host cells, disrupting plasma membrane integrity and deregulating cellular homeostasis. At lytic concentrations, PLY causes cell death. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 May 7;12(1):7510. Epub 2022 May 7.

Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology of Human Pathogens, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal.

Understanding how pneumococci respond to pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) is crucial to predict the impact of upcoming higher-valency vaccines. However, stages in pneumococcal community succession following disturbance are poorly understood as long-time series on carriage are scarce and mostly evaluated at end-point measurements. We used a 20-year cross-sectional dataset of pneumococci carried by Portuguese children, and methods from community ecology, to study community assembly and diversity following use of PCV7 and PCV13. Read More

Int J Pharm 2022 May 4;621:121794. Epub 2022 May 4.

Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Department Biology, Pharmaceutical Biology, Staudtstraße 5, 91058 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address:

Pneumococcal infections represent a global health threat, which requires novel vaccine developments. Extracellular vesicles are secreted from most cells, including prokaryotes, and harbor virulence factors and antigens. Hence, bacterial membrane vesicles (MVs) may induce a protective immune response. Read More

Infect Drug Resist 2022 27;15:2219-2228. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Center for Value-Based Care Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Pneumonia is a leading cause of hospitalization and death due to infection worldwide. and remain among the most commonly identified bacterial pathogens. Unfortunately, more than half of all pneumonia cases today lack an etiologic diagnosis due to limitations in traditional microbiological methods like blood and sputum cultures, which are affected by poor sample collection, prior antibiotic administration, and delayed processing. Read More

Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y) 2022 Apr;18(4):196-206

Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine & Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.

Patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and liver transplant recipients are at increased risk for infections from vaccine-preventable diseases. Gastroenterologists and hepatologists should assess patient immunization history, and necessary vaccinations should be given as soon as possible. Vaccines demonstrate superior immunogenicity when given earlier in the course of liver disease and prior to transplant. Read More

Croat Med J 2022 Apr;63(2):156-165

Iva Butić, Mirogojska 8, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia,

Aim: To assess serotype distribution, antibiotic resistance, and vaccine coverage against Streptococcus pneumoniae causing invasive infections in Croatian adults from 2005 to 2019.

Methods: In this retrospective study, invasive pneumococcal strains were collected through a microbiological laboratory network with country coverage >95%. Capsular typing was performed with the Quellung reaction. Read More

Front Pediatr 2022 14;10:804373. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia.

Introduction: Otitis media (OM) is a common childhood illness, often resolving without intervention and acute and long-term complications are rare. However, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and children experience a high burden of OM and are at high risk of complications (tympanic membrane perforation and chronic infections). Bacterial OM is commonly associated with , non-typeable , and . Read More

Cureus 2022 Mar 29;14(3):e23612. Epub 2022 Mar 29.

Endocrinology and Diabetes, King Fahad Hospital, Riyadh, SAU.

Pneumonia is the most frequent cause of hospitalization, resulting in a high risk of mortality. Diabetic patients are at high risk of aquatinting pneumococcal infections with their consequent complications. Despite the fact that glycemic control of the patients reduces the risk of diabetic complications and enhances their immunity, pneumococcal vaccination should still be given irrespective of the patients' glycemic control. Read More

Vaccine 2022 May 28;40(24):3338-3344. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Department of Bacteriology, Toyama Institute of Health, Toyama, Japan. Electronic address:

Nationwide population-based surveillance for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is being conducted in few Asian countries. We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and serotype distribution among Japanese adult patients with IPD after introduction of the pediatric 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in 2013. IPD surveillance was conducted among adults between 2013 and 2019, and 1,995 patients were analyzed by time period (early, 2013-2015; middle, 2016-2017; late, 2018-2019). Read More

Rev Esp Quimioter 2022 04 22;35 Suppl 1:111-113. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

Leyre Serrano Fernandez. Pneumology Service, Hospital Universitario Cruces, 48903 Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain. Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology. Facultad de Medicina y Enfermería, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2022 Apr 22;35 Suppl 1:104-110. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

Carlos M. Luna, Departamento de Medicina, Orientación Neumología; Consultor de la División Neumología, Hospital de Clínicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Adults with lung diseases, comorbidities, smokers, and elderly are at risk of lung infections and their consequences. Community-acquired pneumonia happen in more than 1% of people each year. Possible pathogens of community-acquired pneumonia include viruses, pneumococcus and atypicals. Read More

JAMA Netw Open 2022 Apr 1;5(4):e228573. Epub 2022 Apr 1.

Global Value, Evidence and Outcomes, Oncology, GSK, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Importance: In the United States, individuals with HIV infection have been recommended to receive a 2-dose series of the meningococcal A, C, W, Y (MenACWY) vaccine since 2016 owing to their increased risk of meningococcal disease.

Objective: To examine uptake and time to receipt of the MenACWY vaccine among people with a new diagnosis of HIV.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study used health insurance data from the US Optum Research Database from January 1, 2016, through March 31, 2018, to retrospectively identify 1208 individuals aged 2 years or older with 1 or more inpatient claim or 2 or more outpatient claims evidencing a new diagnosis of HIV infection and with continuous insurance enrollment for 12 or more months before and 6 or more months after diagnosis. Read More

Euro Surveill 2022 Apr;27(17)

Paul Ehrlich Institut, Langen, Germany.

BackgroundUnavailability of vaccines endangers the overall goal to protect individuals and whole populations against infections.MethodsThe German notification system includes the publication of vaccine supply shortages reported by marketing authorisation holders (MAH), information on the availability of alternative vaccine products, guidance for physicians providing vaccinations and an unavailability reporting tool to monitor regional distribution issues.AimThis study provides a retrospective analysis of supply issues and measures in the context of European and global vaccine supply constraints. Read More

JCI Insight 2022 Apr 28. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Department of Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, United States of America.

Secondary infections are frequent complications of viral respiratory infections but the potential consequence of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection with common pulmonary pathogens is poorly understood. We report that co-infection of human ACE2 transgenic mice with sublethal doses of SARS-CoV-2 and Streptococcus pneumoniae results in synergistic lung inflammation and lethality. Mortality was observed regardless of whether SARS-CoV-2 challenge occurred before or after establishment of sublethal pneumococcal infection. Read More

J Infect Dis 2022 Apr 28. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.

Background: Antibiotic-nonsusceptible invasive pneumococcal disease (NS-IPD) incidence declined dramatically in the United States following introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) into the infant immunization schedule (7-valent PCV7 in 2000, replaced by the 13-valent PCV13 in 2010). We evaluated the long-term impact of PCVs on NS-IPD.

Methods: We identified IPD cases through the Centers for Disease Control Active Bacterial Core surveillance during 1998-2018. Read More

Thorax 2022 Apr 26. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Department of Respiratory Infections, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan

Background: Multiple serotypes of pneumococci have epidemiological and clinical implications, such as the emergence of non-vaccine serotypes and the acquisition of antimicrobial resistance. Prevalence of multiple serotypes of pneumococci in adults and their risk factors are not known.

Methods: We enrolled adult patients from age ≥15 years with radiologically confirmed pneumonia in four hospitals across Japan. Read More

PLoS One 2022 26;17(4):e0266928. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

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

Background: Treatment failure in pneumococcal meningitis due to antibiotic resistance is an increasing clinical challenge and alternatives to antibiotics warrant investigation. Phage-derived endolysins efficiently kill gram-positive bacteria including multi-drug resistant strains, making them attractive therapeutic candidates. The current study assessed the therapeutic potential of the novel endolysin PlyAZ3aT in an infant rat model of ceftriaxone-resistant pneumococcal meningitis. Read More

J Mol Med (Berl) 2022 May 26;100(5):797-813. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics are lifesaving medicines, crucial for the treatment of chronic or drug resistant infections. However, aminoglycosides are toxic to the sensory hair cells in the inner ear. As a result, aminoglycoside-treated individuals can develop permanent hearing loss and vestibular impairment. Read More

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2022 Apr 25. Epub 2022 Apr 25.

Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Währingergürtel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Austria.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a commensal of the human upper respiratory tract. In certain cases, it can lead to serious invasive infections peaking in very young children and the elderly. Especially young children are frequent carriers and are thus regarded as the reservoir for horizontal transmission of pneumococci. Read More

Value Health 2022 Apr 21. Epub 2022 Apr 21.

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address:

Objectives: Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and a variety of clinical syndromes caused by pneumococci, such as acute otitis media (AOM), acute sinusitis (AS), and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), cause a substantial burden on healthcare systems. Few studies have explored the short-term financial burden of pneumococcal disease after the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) introduction in the infant immunization programs. This population-based study evaluated changes in costs associated with healthcare utilization for pneumococcal disease after the PCV13 introduction in the infant immunization program in British Columbia, Canada. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 Apr 23;12(1):6668. Epub 2022 Apr 23.

Spanish Pneumococcal Reference Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.

Biofilm-associated infections are of great concern because they are associated with antibiotic resistance and immune evasion. Co-colonization by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae is possible and a threat in clinical practice. We investigated the interaction between S. Read More

Vaccines (Basel) 2022 Apr 3;10(4). Epub 2022 Apr 3.

Geriatric Unit, Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy.

It is known that influenza, herpes zoster, pneumococcal and pertussis infections may increase morbidity and mortality in older people. Vaccinations against these pathogens are effective in older adults. Frailty seems to be an important determinant of vaccination rates, yet data supporting this association are still missing. Read More

Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022 Apr 21:1-9. Epub 2022 Apr 21.

Center for Observational and Real World Evidence, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA.

Life-course immunization holds significant benefit for population health by reducing the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD) through vaccinating individuals at different stages and circumstances in life. The study aimed to determine the epidemiologic, clinical, economic, and societal burden of VPDs among at-risk adult subpopulations in the United States. A systematic literature review was conducted for articles published between January 2010 and June 2020, which identified 72 publications. Read More

BMJ Open 2022 Apr 15;12(4):e059824. Epub 2022 Apr 15.

Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazilian Ministry of Health, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Objectives: To determine the incidence, aetiology and pneumococcal serotype distribution of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Brazilian adults during a 2-year period.

Design: Prospective population-based surveillance study.

Setting: Patients from two emergency hospitals in Brazil were consecutively included in this study. Read More

BMJ Open 2022 Apr 15;12(4):e056986. Epub 2022 Apr 15.

Department of Nursing, University of Haifa Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, Haifa, Israel.

Objectives: Patients with haematological malignancies receiving immunosuppressive therapy are at highest risk of invasive pneumococcal disease. Our goal was to investigate whether vaccination of haematological patients with pneumococcal 13-valent conjugated vaccine (PCV13) prior to therapy initiation is associated with decreased hospital admissions due to pneumonia or sepsis within 12 months.

Design And Setting: A longitudinal retrospective cohort study was conducted at the haematology unit of Carmel Medical Center, Israel. Read More