Sequential multiplex PCR for determining capsular serotypes of pneumococci recovered from Brazilian children

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Vaccinology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Capsular serotype surveillance of Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccines.
• Latin America faces a significant burden of pneumococcal disease, necessitating targeted surveillance strategies.
• Existing methods for serotyping pneumococci can be labor-intensive and may not cover prevalent serotypes in specific regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To revise and optimize a sequential multiplex PCR method for efficient and accurate identification of prevalent Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes in Latin America.
• To evaluate the performance of the revised PCR method using clinical isolates from Brazilian children.
• To provide a reliable tool for capsular serotype surveillance to inform vaccine policy in the region.

Main Methods:

• Revision of a previously described sequential multiplex PCR protocol.
• Targeting of prevalent Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes in Latin America.
• Application of the revised PCR method to clinical isolates of pneumococci from Brazilian children.

Main Results:

• The revised multiplex PCR method successfully serotyped 139 out of 147 (94.6%) clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
• The method demonstrated high accuracy and efficiency in identifying prevalent pneumococcal serotypes.
• The protocol requires only conventional PCR capabilities, making it accessible.

Conclusions:

• The revised sequential multiplex PCR method is a labor-efficient and accurate tool for Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype surveillance in Latin America.
• This method can effectively support the evaluation of multivalent capsular serotype-based vaccines in the region.
• The findings facilitate informed decision-making regarding pneumococcal vaccination strategies in Brazil and potentially other Latin American countries.