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Typing of Streptococcus pneumoniae: past, present, and future
1World Health Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Pneumococci, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
The American Journal of Medicine
|August 18, 1999
Summary
Pneumococcal typing advanced with agglutination and antisera, leading to effective serum therapy that significantly reduced pneumonia deaths. Modern DNA-based methods offer improved subtyping capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Medical History
Background:
- Early research identified pneumococcus and observed variations in isolates, leading to the development of antisera.
- Over five decades, international studies contributed to the establishment of serum therapy for pneumococcal infections.
Observation:
- Agglutination properties of pneumococcal isolates and protective capacities of antisera were key discoveries.
- The mouse protection test was instrumental in evaluating the efficacy of different antisera.
Findings:
- Type-specific serum therapy dramatically decreased mortality from pneumococcal pneumonia.
- Horse sera were replaced by rabbit sera due to various factors preceding antibiotic development.
- Current typing methods include capsular reaction, latex agglutination, and capillary precipitation, utilizing diverse antisera.
Implications:
- Advancements in typing methods were crucial for the success of serum therapy.
- The transition to rabbit sera and the development of rapid typing methods improved treatment efficacy.
- Emerging DNA-based techniques like DNA probes and sequencing offer enhanced precision for pneumococcal subtyping.