title: Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) family distribution among clinical isolates from adults over 50 years of age collected in seven countries.
abstract: The pneumococcal surface protein PspA, a cell-wall-associated surface protein, is a promising component for pneumococcal vaccines. In this study, the distribution of the PspA family was determined in a panel of invasive and clinically important pneumococcal isolates from adults over 50 years of age, collected between 1995 and 2002. One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven recent isolates from invasive pneumococcal disease were obtained from seven Western countries, together with clinical data. An ELISA-based serological method was standardized in order to determine the PspA family and clade distribution. Molecular tests were used when isolates were non-typable by ELISA (PspA family typing by PCR). Only 42 (2.3 %) isolates were non-typable by ELISA and PspA family typing by PCR was performed. Finally, 3 isolates were considered as non-pneumococcal and 1844 were classified as follows: 749 (40.6 %) were PspA family 1, 1078 (58.5 %) were PspA family 2, 13 (0.7 %) were PspA family 1 and 2 and 4 (0.2 %) remained non-typable. The cross-reactivity of antibodies to PspAs of different clades was confirmed. In conclusion, inclusion of PspA family 1 and family 2 in future pneumococcal vaccines would ensure broad coverage of pneumococcal strains infecting people over 50 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, BBRB 658, 845 19th Street South, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Hollingshead
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France.|Sanofi Pasteur, 2 avenue Pont Pasteur, 69007 Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baril
authors.affiliation: Sanofi Pasteur, 1755 Steeles Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M2R 3T4.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferro
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, BBRB 658, 845 19th Street South, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, BBRB 658, 845 19th Street South, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coan
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, BBRB 658, 845 19th Street South, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Briles
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, BBRB 658, 845 19th Street South, AL 35294, USA.
authors.lastname: The Pneumococcal Proteins Epi Study Group
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001315:Australia; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002170:Canada; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C051592:pneumococcal surface protein A