title: Glycoconjugate vaccines to prevent group B streptococcal infections.
abstract: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is an opportunistic pathogen of humans. At-risk populations include neonates born to colonised mothers, peripartum women, diabetics, and the elderly with underlying illnesses. Vaccines to prevent GBS disease have been developed by coupling purified capsular polysaccharide (CPS) antigen of GBS with an immunogenic protein carrier. Glycoconjugate vaccines against all nine currently identified GBS serotypes have been synthesised and shown to be immunogenic in mice, rabbits and baboons in preclinical trials. Healthy adults have safely received conjugate vaccines prepared with GBS types Ia, Ib, II, III, and V CPSs in Phase I and II clinical trials. These vaccines elicited CPS-specific antibody that opsonised GBS for in vitro killing by human peripheral blood leukocytes in the presence of complement. Results from these preclinical and clinical studies strongly suggest that GBS conjugate vaccines will be effective in preventing diseases caused by GBS.
authors.affiliation: Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. lpaoletti@channing.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Lawrence C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Paoletti
authors.forename: Dennis L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kasper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000276:immunology*; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate