Virulence of pneumococcal proteins on the inner ear.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of the virulence characteristics of specific pneumococcal proteins on the inner ear.


METHODS
A histologic comparison of inflammatory cell infiltration and pathologic changes in the round window membrane and inner ear.


RESULTS
Most of the animals inoculated with high-dose pneumolysin or wild-type bacteria showed severe pathologic changes of the inner ears. The inner ears of most animals inoculated with surface protein A or surface antigen A-deficient bacteria appeared normal.


CONCLUSIONS
Pneumococcal surface protein A and pneumococcal surface antigen A are 2 important virulence factors in inner ear damage secondary to pneumococcal otitis media. Mutation of these virulence factors results in less inner ear damage.
Schachern
Patricia A
PA
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. schac002@tc.umn.edu
Tsuprun
Vladimir
V
Cureoglu
Sebahattin
S
Ferrieri
Patricia
P
Briles
David E
DE
Paparella
Michael M
MM
Juhn
Steven
S
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D002682:Chinchilla; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000382:microbiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology; D012405:Round Window, Ear / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C051592:pneumococcal surface protein A