Strategic development of the conserved region of the M protein and other candidates as vaccines to prevent infection with group A streptococci.
Group A streptococcal (Streptococcus pyogenes) diseases remain a major public health problem in developing countries as well as in the indigenous populations of developed countries. In view of the large number of Group A streptococcal infections and the potential for sequelae such as rheumatic heart disease, control strategies including the development of an anti-streptococcal vaccine that is able to prevent infection and colonization is important. In this article, we discuss the epidemiology and strain variability of Group A streptococcus and how this is rendering vaccine development more challenging. We discuss vaccine strategies with a focus on the conserved region of the M protein and present a viewpoint for the impediments and the way forward.
a 1 Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
Michael F
MF
Good
a 1 Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
Manisha
M
Pandey
a 1 Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
Michael R
MR
Batzloff
b 2 Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Alberta Health Services and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Gregory J
GJ
Tyrrell
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines; C014689:streptococcal M protein
CovR/S; GAS; J8-DT; J8-DT+rSpyCEP; M-protein-based vaccines; conserved region vaccine; group A streptococcus; pharyngitis; polyvalent vaccine; skin infection; vaccine