Pneumonia and Meningitis: Towards Vaccine Development

Pneumonia and Meningitis: Towards Vaccine Development

Project Lead(s)
Project Background 

Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus pneumoniae are two medically important mucosal bacteria known to cause invasive diseases such pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis, mostly in children and immunocompromised people. Drug resistance rise has been reported against both pathogens. There are vaccines against some serotypes of S. pneumoniae, but disease caused non-vaccine types is on the rise. Also, there are no vaccines licensed yet for prevention of S. agalactiae disease. The main objective of this study was to look for similarities withing important surface structures of both pathogens that could serve as basis for vaccine targets across the various serotypes of both pathogens.

Key Findings 
  • PhtD, CbpA or PcpA, PspA and StkP of S. pneumoniae, and alp2, alp3 and rib of S. agalactiae, are among the proteins that found good similarities and could be of interest for further research
Key Publications  
  1. Bedeley E, Gori A, Yeboah-Manu D and Diallo K (2021) Control of Streptococcal Infections: Is a Common Vaccine Target Achievable Against Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus pneumoniaeFront. Microbiol. 12:658824. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.658824
Team 
External Collaborator(s) 
Dr. Kanny Diallo
Dr. Andrea Gori, University College London
Funder(s) 
Mucosal Pathogen Research Unit, UK