title: Pneumococcal Capsules and Their Types: Past, Present, and Future.
abstract: Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is an important human pathogen. Its virulence is largely due to its polysaccharide capsule, which shields it from the host immune system, and because of this, the capsule has been extensively studied. Studies of the capsule led to the identification of DNA as the genetic material, identification of many different capsular serotypes, and identification of the serotype-specific nature of protection by adaptive immunity. Recent studies have led to the determination of capsular polysaccharide structures for many serotypes using advanced analytical technologies, complete elucidation of genetic basis for the capsular types, and the development of highly effective pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Conjugate vaccine use has altered the serotype distribution by either serotype replacement or switching, and this has increased the need to serotype pneumococci. Due to great advances in molecular technologies and our understanding of the pneumococcal genome, molecular approaches have become powerful tools to predict pneumococcal serotypes. In addition, more-precise and -efficient serotyping methods that directly detect polysaccharide structures are emerging. These improvements in our capabilities will greatly enhance future investigations of pneumococcal epidemiology and diseases and the biology of colonization and innate immunity to pneumococcal capsules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: K Aaron
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Geno
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Pathology & Medical Research, Westmead Hospital, Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Gwendolyn L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Joon Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: SSI Diagnostica, Division of Microbiology and Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ian C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Skovsted
authors.affiliation: Pneumonia Program Strategy Team, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Keith P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Klugman
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Structure, NIBSC, South Mimms, Herts, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: SSI Diagnostica, Division of Microbiology and Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Helle B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Konradsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA nahm@uab.edu.
authors.forename: Moon H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nahm
mesh_terms: D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000276:immunology*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000592:standards; D016680:Genome, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D065288:Serogroup; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial