Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026
09:11
Capsular Serotyping of Streptococcus pneumoniae by Latex Agglutination
Published on: September 25, 2014
22.6K
Should Pneumococcal Serotype 3 Be Included in Serotype-Specific Immunoassays?
Ezra Linley1, Abigail Bell2, Jenna F Gritzfeld3
1Vaccine Evaluation Unit, Public Health England, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, UK. ezra.linley@phe.gov.uk.
Vaccines
|January 6, 2019
Summary
The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine shows limited effectiveness against pneumococcal serotype 3 invasive disease and carriage. Unique capsule characteristics and assay limitations may explain this reduced vaccine efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Vaccinology
- Microbiology
- Immunology
Background:
- The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) is widely used for preventing pneumococcal diseases.
- Limited efficacy of PCV13 against Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3 has been observed in multiple countries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on the effectiveness of PCV13 against serotype 3 invasive pneumococcal disease and carriage.
- To discuss potential reasons for the limited efficacy of the serotype 3 component.
- To evaluate the reliability of serotype 3 detection in diagnostic assays.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of studies from seven countries (Denmark, France, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, UK, US).
- Analysis of serotype 3 capsule characteristics.
- Evaluation of Luminex multiplex assay performance for serotype 3 detection.
Main Results:
- Evidence indicates limited or no effectiveness of PCV13 against serotype 3 invasive pneumococcal disease and carriage across multiple nations.
- Serotype 3 possesses unique capsular characteristics, including abundant expression and potential release of free polysaccharide, contributing to immune evasion.
- The Luminex multiplex assay shows inferior inter-laboratory reproducibility for serotype 3, questioning the reliability of results.
Conclusions:
- The efficacy of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against serotype 3 remains a significant concern.
- Unique biological properties of the serotype 3 capsule may underlie its resistance to vaccine-induced immunity.
- The reliability of current diagnostic assays for serotype 3 requires further investigation, potentially impacting future vaccine development and public health strategies.
Related Concept Videos
01:11ortho–para-Directing Activators: –CH3, –OH, –NH2, –OCH3
7.5K
All ortho–para directors, excluding halogens, are activating groups. These groups donate electrons to the ring, making the ring carbons electron-rich. Consequently, the reactivity of the aromatic ring towards electrophilic substitution increases. For instance, the nitration of anisole is about 10,000 times faster than the nitration of benzene. The electron-donating effect of the methoxy group in anisole activates the ortho and para positions on the ring and stabilizes the corresponding...
7.5K
01:16Specific Heat
67.4K
The specific heat capacity of a substance refers to the energy required to increase the temperature of one gram of that substance by one degree Celcius. Specific heat capacity is often represented in calories (cal), grams (g), and degrees Celsius (oC), but can also be expressed in joules (J), kilograms (kg), and Kelvin (K), among other units.
For example, increasing the temperature of one gram of water by 1°C requires one calorie of heat energy and can be written as 1 cal/g-°C, or...
For example, increasing the temperature of one gram of water by 1°C requires one calorie of heat energy and can be written as 1 cal/g-°C, or...
67.4K
02:53Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation
6.8K
Because the DNA segments are cut and reorganized in a direction-specific manner, site-specific recombination has emerged as an efficient genetic engineering technique. Flippase and Cyclization recombinases or Flp and Cre, respectively, are two members of the tyrosine recombinase family derived from bacteriophages, that are used to mediate site-specific DNA insertions, deletions, and targeted expression of proteins in mammalian cell lines.
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
6.8K
01:17Piaget's Stage 3 of Cognitive Development
1.1K
During Piaget's concrete operational stage, from ages 7 to 11, children exhibit a marked increase in logical thinking skills, specifically in relation to tangible, real-world events. This stage is characterized by the development of several essential cognitive concepts, including conservation, reversibility, and classification, all of which support the child's evolving capacity for structured thought.
Conservation and Constancy of Quantity
A significant cognitive milestone in the...
Conservation and Constancy of Quantity
A significant cognitive milestone in the...
1.1K
01:27Density, Specific Weight, Specific Gravity and Compressibility of Fluid
1.6K
Density, specific weight, specific gravity, and compressibility are fundamental properties of fluids. Density is the mass per unit volume, characterizing the mass of a fluid system. It influences buoyancy, pressure, flow dynamics, viscosity, thermal conductivity, and sound propagation. For instance, in pipeline design, accurate density measurements ensure that the pipeline can handle the fluid's mass.
Specific weight represents the weight per unit volume and is calculated by multiplying...
Specific weight represents the weight per unit volume and is calculated by multiplying...
1.6K
01:58Cell Specific Gene Expression
16.5K
Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
16.5K