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Multilocus sequence types, serotypes, and variants of the surface antigen PspA in Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates

Ewa Sadowy1, Anna Skoczyñska, Janusz Fiett

  • 1Department of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Public Health, ul. Chełmska 30/34, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland. ewasadowy@cls.edu.pl

Clinical and Vaccine Immunology : CVI
|January 24, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis is a major health concern. This study identified novel and known invasive clones in Polish meningitis cases, highlighting the role of multiresistant clones in antimicrobial resistance spread.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant cause of human illness and death.
  • Specific bacterial clones, known as invasive pneumococcal clones, are frequently associated with severe disease.
  • Understanding the genetic diversity and characteristics of these clones is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from meningitis cases in Poland between 1997 and 2002.
  • To characterize these isolates using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and compare them with international data.
  • To investigate the association between specific clones, antimicrobial resistance, and vaccine antigen candidates.

Main Methods:

  • Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed on 156 S. pneumoniae isolates from meningitis patients.
  • Results were compared with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) data and existing MLST databases of invasive pneumococci.
  • The surface protein PspA was analyzed for its potential as a vaccine antigen.

Main Results:

  • Eighty-nine distinct sequence types were identified, including 19 major invasive clones and novel allele combinations.
  • Penicillin-nonsusceptible isolates were predominantly linked to international multiresistant clones (e.g., Spain(23F)-1).
  • MLST results showed good correlation with PFGE, validating both typing methods. 95.5% of isolates belonged to PspA families 1 or 2.

Conclusions:

  • The study identified a diverse range of S. pneumoniae clones causing meningitis in Poland, including globally significant multiresistant strains.
  • These findings underscore the importance of tracking invasive pneumococcal clones for managing antimicrobial resistance.
  • The prevalence of specific PspA families suggests its potential as a target for future pneumococcal vaccines.

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