Related Experiment Videos
Urinary excretion of pneumococcal cell wall polysaccharide in children
Howard Faden1, Michael Heimerl, Chelikani Varma
1Department of Pediatrics State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
Insights
The study found Streptococcus pneumoniae cell wall polysaccharide in 65% of carriers and 10% of non-carriers using the NOW test. Colonization, not illness, appears to be the main source of this urinary antigen in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Microbiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of bacterial infections in children.
- Detecting pneumococcal antigens can aid in diagnosis and understanding transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the urinary excretion of Streptococcus pneumoniae cell wall polysaccharide in children.
- To determine if antigen excretion correlates with carrier status or acute otitis media.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the NOW test to detect pneumococcal cell wall polysaccharide in urine samples.
- Studied a cohort of 92 children, including healthy individuals, carriers, and those with acute otitis media.
Main Results:
- Cell wall polysaccharide was detected in 65% of pneumococcal carriers and 10% of non-carriers.
- Excretion rates were comparable between healthy children and those with acute otitis media.
Conclusions:
- Urinary antigen detection is frequent in asymptomatic pneumococcal carriers.
- Colonization is identified as a significant source of urinary Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
The urinary excretion of the cell wall polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae was studied in 92 children with the NOW test. Cell wall polysaccharide was detected in 65% of pneumococcal carriers and in 10% of noncarriers. Excretion rates were similar in healthy children and in children with acute otitis media. The high rate of antigen excretion among nonill carriers suggests that colonization is a major source of urinary antigen in children.