Progress on the pathogenicity of non-vaccine type Streptococcus pneumoniae in children / 国际儿科学杂志

Streptococcus pneumoniae infection is a common respiratory disease in children. Globally，invasive pneumococcal disease（IPD），which is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae infection，is one of the leading causes of death in children. The use of Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccine has provided protection for children to some extent，but the prevalence of pathogenic and drug-resistant non-vaccine type（NVT）Streptococcus pneumoniae poses a grave threat to children's health. Due to the different use of vaccines and antibiotics in different regions，there are regional variations in the NVT distribution. This paper reviews the pathogenic process of Streptococcus pneumoniae，the mechanism of NVT production，the geographical distribution and the pathogenic condition of NVT，in order to fully understand the pathogenicity and harm of NVT，to provide data support for the adjustment of health strategy，and to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment and future vaccine development and use.

Effects of wedelobata on apoptosis and secretion of inflammatory cytokines in the alveolar epithelium infected by Streptococcus pneumonia / 实用医学杂志

Objective To investigate the regulatory effects of wedelobata on apoptosis and secretion of inflammatory factors in the alveolar epithelial cells infected by Streptococcus pn e um on i a e.Methods Alveolar epithelial cells A549 were divided into infection group(1×108/CFU/mL cultured cells of Streptococcus pneumoniae),control group(no treatment),infection+wedelolactone low-dose group,middle-dose group and high-dose group(pretreated with wedelolactone at 10,20 and 40 μmol/L and then cultured cells of Streptococcus pneumoniae at 1×108/CFU/mL).Alveolar epithelial cells A549 were divided into infection group(1×108/CFU/mL cultured cells of Streptococcus pneumoniae),control group(no treatment),infection+wedelolactone low-dose group,middle-dose group and high-dose group(pretreated with wedelolactone at 10,20 and 40 μmol/L and then cultured cells of Streptococcus pneumoniae at 1×108/CFU/mL).Results Compared with control group,the apoptosis rate,the relative expression levels of Bax,Caspase-3 protein,IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA were higher in infection group,infection + wedelolide low dose group,medium dose group and high dose group,while the expression level of Bcl-2 protein was lower(P＜0.05).Compared with the infected group,the apoptosis rate,the relative expression levels of Bax,Caspase-3 protein,IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA and the expression levels of Bcl-2 protein were lower in the infected + wedelolide low dose,medium dose and high dose groups.Moreover,the apop-tosis rate,the expression levels of Bax,Caspase-3 protein,IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA were the highest in the infected + wedelactone high-dose group,and the expression levels of Bcl-2 protein were the lowest(P＜0.05).Conclusion The apoptosis rate of alveolar epithelial cells infected by Streptococcus pneumoniae decreased and the secretion of inflammatory factors decreased after the intervention of wedelia lactone.

Protective effect and mechanism of nanoantimicrobial peptide ND-C14 against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection / 世界急诊医学杂志（英文）

@#BACKGROUND: Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) is a common pathogen that causes bacterial pneumonia. However, with increasing bacterial resistance, there is an urgent need to develop new drugs to treat S. pneumoniae infections. Nanodefensin with a 14-carbon saturated fatty acid (ND-C14) is a novel nanoantimicrobial peptide designed by modifying myristic acid at the C-terminus of human α-defensin 5 (HD5) via an amide bond. However, it is unclear whether ND-C14 is effective against lung infections caused by S. pneumoniae. METHODS: In vitro, three groups were established, including the control group, and the HD5 and ND-C14 treatment groups. A virtual colony-count assay was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of HD5 and ND-C14 against S. pneumoniae. The morphological changes of S. pneumoniae treated with HD5 or ND-C14 were observed by scanning electron microscopy. In vivo, mice were divided into sham, vehicle, and ND-C14 treatment groups. Mice in the sham group were treated with 25 µL of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Mice in the vehicle and ND-C14 treatment groups were treated with intratracheal instillation of 25 µL of bacterial suspension with 2×108 CFU/mL (total bacterial count: 5×106 CFU), and then the mice were given 25 μL PBS or intratracheally injected with 25 μL of ND-C14 (including 20 µg or 50 µg), respectively. Survival rates were evaluated in the vehicle and ND-C14 treatment groups. Bacterial burden in the blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were counted. The lung histology of the mice was assessed. A propidium iodide uptake assay was used to clarify the destructive effect of ND-C14 against S. pneumoniae. RESULTS: Compared with HD5, ND-C14 had a better bactericidal effect against S. pneumoniae because of its stronger ability to destroy the membrane structure of S. pneumoniae in vitro. In vivo, ND-C14 significantly delayed the death time and improved the survival rate of mice infected with S. pneumoniae. ND-C14 reduced bacterial burden and lung tissue injury. Moreover, ND-C14 had a membrane permeation effect on S. pneumoniae, and its destructive ability increased with increasing ND-C14 concentration.

Serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of pediatric Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from inpatients and outpatients at Beijing Children's Hospital

Abstract Background Understanding the epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) isolates is important for pneumonia treatment and prevention. This research aimed to explore the epidemiological characteristics of S. pneumoniae isolated from pediatric inpatients and outpatients during the same period. Methods S. pneumoniae were isolated from unsterile samples of inpatients and outpatients younger than five years old between March 2013 and February 2014. The serotypes were determined using diagnostic pneumococcal antisera. The resistance of each strain to 13 antibiotics was tested using either the E-test or the disc diffusion method. The Sequence Types (STs) were analyzed via Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST). Results The dominant serotypes obtained from inpatients were 19F (32.9 %), 19A (20.7 %), 23F (10.7 %), 6A (10.0 %), and 14 (8.6 %), while those from outpatients were 19F (13.6 %), 23F (12.9 %), 6A (10.0 %), 6B (10.0 %), and 19A (7.9 %). The coverage rates of 13-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) formulations were high in both groups. The nonsusceptibility to penicillin, cefuroxime, imipenem, erythromycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole among the inpatient isolates was 7.1 %, 92.8 %, 65.7 %, 100 %, and 85.0 %, respectively, while that among the outpatient isolates was 0.7 %, 50.0 %, 38.6 %, 96.4 %, and 65.7 %, respectively. There were 45 and 81 STs detected from the pneumococci isolated from inpatients and outpatients, respectively. CC271 was common among both inpatients and outpatients (43.6 % and 14.3 %). Conclusions Pneumococcal vaccine-related serotypes are prevalent among both inpatients and outpatients, especially among inpatients, who exhibit more severe antibiotic resistance. Therefore, universal immunization with PCV13 would decrease the hospitalization rate due to S. pneumoniae and the antibiotic resistance rate of S. pneumoniae.

Novedades en el calendario de vacunas de Argentina. Tercera parte: neumococo / News in Argentina's vaccine schedule. Third part: pneumococcus

A fines de 2023 la autoridad sanitaria de Argentina realizó modificaciones en el Calendario Nacional obligatorio, que serán implementadas en forma progresiva durante 2024. Este artículo está enfocado en el reemplazo progresivo de las vacunas antineumocóccicas conjugada de 13 serotipos y polisacárida no conjugada de 23 serotipos por la vacuna conjugada de 20 serotipos. (AU)

At the end of 2023, the Argentine health authority modified the mandatory National Calendar, which will be implemented progressively during 2024. This article focuses on the progressive replacement of the 13-serotype pneumococcal conjugate and the 23-serotype polysaccharide vaccines by the 20-serotype conjugate vaccine. (AU)

Pneumococcal infective endocarditis in Brazil: a multicenter study on a severe condition

Abstract Background Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia may result in Infective Endocarditis (IE). In the pre-antibiotic era, it caused 10 %‒15 % of IE, decreasing to < 3 % after penicillin availability. Although infrequent, it causes aggressive disease. Methods Retrospective analysis of endocarditis databases, prospectively implemented in 4 Brazilian institutions, 2005‒2023. Results From the prospective cohorts comprising 2321 adult patients with IE, we identified 11 (0.47%) with pneumococcal IE. Males represented 7/11 and mean age was 54 years (22‒77). All had native valve involvement; perivalvular abscess was present in 6/11. Only one patient had concurrent meningitis. Beta-lactams were the antibiotics used in 10/11. All had surgical indication, but only 6 had it, as the others were seriously ill. Overall, in hospital mortality was 6/11, but only 1/6 of those who underwent surgery died, compared to 5/5 of those who had an indication for surgery and did not have it. Conclusions The high mortality rates and need for surgical intervention emphasize the need to promptly identify and manage pneumococcal endocarditis. Physicians ought to recommend vaccination to all patients at risk for severe pneumococcal disease.

Características microbiológicas de la enfermedad neumocócica en niños menores de 5 años de Santiago de Cuba / Microbiologic characteristics of the pneumococcus disease in children under 5 years from Santiago de Cuba i: en

Introducción: La infección por Streptococcus pneumoniae constituye una causa importante de morbimortalidad en el mundo, sobre todo en niños menores de 5 años, en los que ocasiona de 1 a 2 millones de muertes anuales. Objetivo: Determinar la presencia de S. pneumoniae en muestras clínicas obtenidas en niños. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal en niños menores de 5 años de edad con diagnóstico clínico de enfermedad neumocócica invasiva, asistidos en dos hospitales pediátricos de Santiago de Cuba durante el periodo 2014-2018. De las 1466 muestras clínicas tomadas y procesadas, en 131 fue aislado el agente patógeno; estas correspondieron a 59 pacientes con formas clínicas de la infección y 72 portadores. Para el procesamiento estadístico de la información se utilizaron las frecuencias absoluta y relativa como medidas de resumen. Resultados: En general, la positividad por S. pneumoniae fue de 8,9 %, con mayores frecuencias de aislamiento en las muestras de líquido cefalorraquídeo (81,8 %), líquido pleural (47,1 %) y exudado ótico (21,9 %), que asimismo coincidieron con los porcentajes más elevados de neumonía (61,0), otitis media aguda (23,7) y meningitis (15,3), como formas clínicas de la enfermedad neumocócica, que aquejó principalmente a niños de 1 año de edad, seguidos de los mayores de 2 años. De igual modo, se identificaron 9 serotipos de S. pneumoniae, con predominio del 19A (39,0 %), el 14 (25,4 %) y el 6A (11,9 %). En los pacientes que portaban la bacteria en la nasofaringe se identificaron 8 tipos serológicos, predominantemente el 19A y el 14. Por último, se halló una alta resistencia microbiana a la eritromicina y a la combinación trimetoprima-sulfametoxazol. Conclusiones: Los resultados de este estudio proporcionaron un referente científico antes de la introducción de la vacuna antineumocócica cubana, lo que permitirá evaluar su impacto en la incidencia de dicha enfermedad.

Introduction: The infection due to Streptococcus pneumoniae constitutes an important cause of morbimortality in the world, mainly in children under 5 years, that causes from 1 to 2 million annual deaths. Objective: To determine the presence of S. pneumoniae in clinical samples obtained in children. Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in children under 5 years with clinical diagnosis of invasive pneumococcus disease, assisted in two children hospitals from Santiago de Cuba during the period 2014-2018. Of the 1466 clinical samples taken and processed, in 131 the pathogen agent was isolated; these corresponded to 59 patients with clinical forms of the infection and 72 carriers of the disease. For the statistical processing of the information the absolute and relative frequencies were used as summary measures. Results: In general the positivity for S. pneumoniae was of 8.9 %, with more isolation frequencies in the samples of cerebrospinal fluid (81.8 %), pleural fluid (47.1 %) and otic exudate (21.9 %) that also coincided with the highest percentages of pneumonia (61.0), acute otitis media (23.7) and meningitis (15.3), as clinical forms of the neumococcus disease that mainly affected 1 year children, followed by those over 2 years. In a same way, 9 serotypes of S. pneumoniae were identified, with prevalence of the 19A (39.0 %), and 14 (25.4 %) and the 6A (11.9 %). In the nasopharyngeal carriers 8 serotypes were identified, of which the 19A and 14 prevailed. Lastly, a high microbian resistance to erythromycin and the combination trimethoprim-sulfametoxazole was found. Conclusions: The results of this study provided a scientific referent before the introduction of the Cuban antipneumococcus vaccine that will allow to evaluate its impact in the incidence of this disease.

Síndrome hemolítico urémico secundario a Streptococcus pneumoniae. Reporte de un caso clínico / Streptococcus pneumoniae associated hemolytic uremic syndrome. Case report

El síndrome hemolítico urémico secundario a Streptococcus pneumoniae (SHU-Sp) es una complicación poco frecuente de las enfermedades invasoras por S. pneumoniae. Presenta una alta morbimortalidad, con requerimiento de transfusiones de glóbulos rojos y plaquetas, terapia de sustitución de la función renal de inicio precoz y más prolongada, así como mayores complicaciones a largo plazo, comparado con las formas secundarias a infección entérica por Escherichia coli productora de toxina Shiga. Presentamos el caso clínico de una preescolar de dos años, previamente sana, vacunada con tres dosis de PCV13, que desarrolló una insuficiencia renal aguda, anemia hemolítica y plaquetopenia, en el contexto de una neumonía con empiema y bacteriemia por S. pneumoniae.

Streptococcus pneumoniae associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (Sp-HUS) is an uncommon complication of invasive pneumococcal infections. Patients with Sp-HUS have a higher mortality and long term morbidity than those due to HUS from Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infections (STEC-HUS). They often require more red blood cells and platelet transfusions, and early initiation of renal substitution therapy, presenting a higher rate of arterial hypertension and chronic renal disease in the long term, compared to STEC-HUS. We report a healthy 2 year-old infant, vaccinated with three doses PCV13, that developed acute renal failure, hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia in the course of a complicated pneumococcal pneumonia with empyema and bacteremia.

Peritonitis primaria por neumococo en un hospital pediátrico de Argentina / Primary pneumococcal peritonitis in a pediatric hospital from Argentina

Resumen La peritonitis por neumococo comprende un pequeno subconjunto de pacientes con enfermedad invasiva (ENI). Durante 15 años (2005-2020) de vigilancia de ENI en un hospital de pediatría, se detectaron 5 casos de peritonitis primaria. Los pacientes, 3 ninas y 2ninos con una media de edad de 5 anos, experimentaron signos y síntomas peritoneales; 3 de ellos presentaban síndrome nefrótico. En coincidencia con los perfiles locales, todos los aislamientos fueron sensibles a betalactámicos, una cepa expresó resistencia a tetraciclina y cotrimoxazol y otra solo a cotrimoxazol. Los serotipos encontrados en 4/5 cepas (una resultó no viable) fueron 1, 19F, 15C y 23A. Los ninos fueron tratados con cefalosporinas de tercera generación o con ampicilina, gentamicina y metronidazol; todos evolucionaron favorablemente. Se destaca la importancia del hallazgo de Streptococcus pneumoniae en peritonitis primarias en niños. Este trabajo contribuye al conocimiento de esta enfermedad en particular y al de la epidemiología local de la ENI.

Abstract Pneumococcal peritonitis represents a small subset of patients suffering from inva-sive pneumococcal disease (IPD). We describe 5 cases of primary peritonitis documented in the pediatric hospital over 15 years (2005-2020) of IPD surveillance. The patients, 3girls and 2boys with a mean age of 5 years, experienced peritoneal signs and symptoms; 3of them suffered from nephrotic syndrome. Based on the local resistance profiles, all isolates were sensitive to beta-lactams, one strain showed resistance to cotrimoxazole and tetracycline while another strain, to cotrimoxazole only. Serotypes found in 4/5 strains (one was non-viable) were: 1, 19F, 15C and 23A. Children were treated with third-generation cephalosporins or ampicillin, gentamicin and metronidazole and all of them evolved favorably. Pneumococcal etiology should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain in children. Our study aims to contribute to the knowledge of this condition and to the local epidemiology of IPD.

Neumonía bacteriana en niños en Ecuador: una mirada al impacto de las vacunas / Bacterial pneumonia in children in Ecuador: a look at the impact of vaccines

INTRODUCCIÓN: La neumonía adquirida en la comunidad es una de las enfermedades con mayor prevalencia en la comunidad pediátrica en nuestro país. De las diferentes etiologías que pueden causarlas, la neumonía ocasionada por Streptococcus pneumoniae puede ser prevenida con el uso de inmunización. Actualmente se disponen de tres tipos de vacunas antineumocócicas conjugadas autorizadas de uso pediátrico de forma sistemática. OBJETIVO: Identificar la prevalencia de neumonía bacteriana en niños bajo 5 años de edad, que requirieron hospitalización comparando la vacuna neumocócica recibida: 10 valente (PCV10) versus 13 valente (PCV13). PACIENTES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio de descriptivo, retrospectivo. Se incluyeron pacientes hospitalizados bajo 5 años de edad, con diagnóstico de neumonía bacteriana mediante codificación CIE10 en un hospital de tercer nivel de la ciudad de Quito-Ecuador, durante el año 2019. RESULTADOS: Se estudiaron 175 pacientes de los cuales 74 cumplieron con criterios clínicos de neumonía, de estos 46 recibieron PCV10 y 28 recibieron vacuna PCV13. DISCUSIÓN Y CONCLUSIONES: La prevalencia de neumonía bacteriana fue mayor en los pacientes inmunizados con PCV10 lo que sugiere una relación de menor probabilidad de neumonía con el uso de la vacuna PCV13.

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired pneumonia is one of the most prevalent diseases in the pediatric community in our country, of the different etiologies that can cause them, pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae can be prevented with the use of immunization. Currently there are three types of authorized pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for pediatric use in a systematic way. AIM: To identify the prevalence of bacterial pneumonia in children under 5 years of age who required hospitalization by comparing the pneumococcal vaccine received: 10 valent (PCV10) versus 13 valent (PCV13). METHODS: Descriptive, retrospective study. Hospitalized patients under 5 years of age with a diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia by ICD10 coding in a third level hospital in the city of Quito - Ecuador during 2019 were included. Results: 175 patients were studied, of which 74 patients met clinical criteria for pneumonia, of these 46 received PCV10 and 28 received PCV13 vaccine. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of bacterial pneumonia was higher in patients immunized with PCV10, suggesting a relationship of lower probability of pneumonia with the use of the PCV13 vaccine.

Impact of PCV10 on pediatric pneumococcal disease burden in Brazil: time for new recommendations?

Abstract Objective: To describe the impact of the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on the pediatric burden of pneumococcal infections, carriage, serotype replacement, and antimicrobial resistance in Brazil since its introduction in 2010. Data source: A narrative review of English, Spanish, and Portuguese articles published in online databases and in Brazilian epidemiological surveillance databases was performed. The following keywords were used: Streptococcus pneumoniae, pneumococcal disease, conjugate vaccine, PCV10, antimicrobial resistance, and meningitis. Summary of the findings: Declines in hospitalization rates of all-cause pneumonia occurred in the target age groups and some age groups not targeted by vaccination early after the use of PCV10. Large descriptive studies of laboratory-confirmed pneumococcal meningitis and hospital-based historical series of hospitalized children with IPD have evidenced a significant impact on disease burden, in-hospital fatality rates, and admission to the intensive care unit before and after the inclusion of the vaccine. Impact data on otitis media is limited and inconsistent; the main benefit remains the prevention of complicated diseases. During the late post-vaccine years, a significant and progressive increase in high-level penicillin non-susceptibility pneumococci has been described. Since 2014 serotype 19A has been the leading serotype in all ages and was responsible for 28.2%-44.6% of all IPD in children under 5 yrs. Conclusions: PCV10 has performed a significant impact on IPD in Brazil since 2010, however, progress has been continuously hampered by replacement. Broader spectrum PCVs could provide expanded direct and indirect protection against ST19A and other additional serotypes of increasing importance if administered to children in the Brazilian National Immunization Program.

Progress on the mechanism of resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae to β-lactam antibiotics and vaccine immunoprophylaxis / 国际儿科学杂志

Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)is one of the common pathogens of respiratory tract infection in children, which can evolve into severe pneumonia and necrotizing pneumonia in case of severe infection.β-lactam antibiotics are the first-line treatment for SP.The resistance mechanism of SP to β-lactam antibiotics is mainly PBPs gene mutation, followed by mutations related to non-PBPs genes such as MurM, CpoA, TEM, CiaH/CiaR-TCSS and StkP-PhpP signal conjugations.Antibiotic selection pressure and vaccine-induced serotype substitution may influence SP resistance.Serotypes 19F and 19A have high resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, and promotion of PCV13 may be more beneficial than other SP vaccines in preventing SP infection in children.

The advances of streptococcus pneumoniae-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome / 国际儿科学杂志

Streptococcus pneumoniae-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome(SP-HUS) is a thrombotic microvascular disease caused by streptococcus pneumoniae infection, which is one of the causes renal failure in children.Clinical manifestations include thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia and acute renal failure.The neuraminidase and surface protein C substance of Streptococcus pneumoniae, immune factors and complement play important roles in the pathogenesis of SP-HUS.The complement inhibitors provides a new solution for the treatment of SP-HUS.However, few SP-HUS cases have been reported in China.This paper reviews the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and treatment of SP-HUS to help clinicians better understand the disease, early recognition and intervention treatment.

The effect of Ephedra aqueous extract on lung injury of rats with Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia via regulating ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway / 免疫学杂志

This study was performed to evaluate the role and mechanism of Ephedra aqueous extract in alleviating lung injury of rats with Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia via regulating reactive oxygen species(ROS)/NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)/caspase-1 pathway.Male SD rats were randomly divided into control group,model group,Ephedra aqueous extract(100 mg/kg,200 mg/kg,400 mg/kg)groups,solvent control group(110 ml/kg DMSO),model+solvent group,high-dose Ephedra aqueous extract+solvent group,and high-dose Ephedra aqueous extract+trimethylamine N-oxide(TMAO,110 mg/kg)group.Pneumonia model was established by instilling Streptococcus pneumoniae solution into the trachea.After 24 hours of modeling,each group was given medication by gavage for 10 consecutive days.24 hours after the last gastric lavage,pathological changes in lung tissue and the contents of interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-6,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)were detected;and the contents of malondialdehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutase(SOD),the activity of ROS and the expression levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD-N in lung tissue were detected.The model group rats demonstrated pathological changes in lung injury including thickening of alveolar septa and infiltration of inflammatory cells,as well as the contents of IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α in BALF and serum,the content of MDA,the activity of ROS,the expression levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1 and GSDMD-N in lung tissue were higher than those of the control group,while the SOD content in lung tissue was lower than that of the control group(P<0.05).The lung injury of the low,medium,and high dose Ephedra aqueous extract groups were reduced,and the contents of IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α in BALF and serum,the content of MDA,the activity of ROS,the expression levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1 and GSDMD-N in lung tissue were lower than that of the model group,while the SOD content in lung tissue was higher than that of the model group(P<0.05).The lung injury of rats in the high-dose ephedra aqueous extract+TMAO group worsened,the contents of IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α in BALF and serum,the content of MDA,the activity of ROS,the expression levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1 and GSDMD-N in lung tissue were higher than those of the high-dose Ephedra aqueous extract+solvent group,while the SOD content in lung tissue was lower than that of the high-dose Ephedra aqueous extract+solvent group(P<0.05).In conclusion,Ephedra aqueous extract alleviates the lung injury of rats with Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia via inhibiting the inflammatory response,oxidative stress and pyroptosis mediated by ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway.

Clinical characteristics of children with lobar pneumonia and the distribution of pathogens in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To analyze the clinical characteristics of children with lobar pneumonia and the distribution of pathogens in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collected from these patients, hence providing a scientific basis for their precise diagnosis and treatment. Methods　A total of 115 children diagnosed with lobar pneumonia from August 2019 to August 2022 at Suining Central Hospital were screened as the research subjects. The clinical manifestations and occurrence of complications in the patients were investigated. All the children underwent bronchoalveolar lavage after admission, and BALF samples were collected. Fluorescence quantitative PCR was adopted to detect and analyze the distribution and clinical characteristics of Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) and other related pathogenic microorganisms in BALF specimens. Results Among the 115 pediatric patients with lobar pneumonia, the occurrence of manifestations or complications including involvement of ≥2 lung lobes, myocardial damage, pleural effusion, abnormal liver function, digestive system involvement, nervous system involvement, rash, renal function impairment, and lung atelectasis were observed in 46, 46, 39, 33, 18, 17, 11, 5, and 4 cases, respectively. The pathogen positivity rate in the BALF samples of the 115 patients was 87.0% (100/115), with 81 cases of single infection and 19 cases of mixed infection. A total of 121 strains of pathogens were isolated, including 83 strains of Mycoplasmal pneumonia (MP) (accounting for 68.6%) and SP(13.2%). The differences in the detection rates of HI, MP, RSV strains among different age groups were statistically significant (χ2=8.834, 19.454, 10.284, P<0.05), while the differences in the infection rates of SP, KP, CP, and ADV were not statistically significant (χ2=3.393, 2.67, 0.565, 0.097, P>0.05). The MP pneumonia group showed significantly higher incidence of complications such as pleural effusion, nervous system involvement, and abnormal liver function than the non-MP pneumonia group (χ2=3.925, 4.195, and 4.513, P<0.05). The highest pathogen detection rate was in winter, accounting for 33.91%. Conclusions MP is the most common pathogen in BALF of children with lobar pneumonia. There is variation in the pathogen detection rate among different age groups and seasons. Those with combined infections were more prone to complications, which is worthy of attention by clinicians.

Screening of solid culture medium without animal-derived materials for resuscitation of Streptococcus pneumoniae / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To screen a kind of solid culture medium without animal-derived materials for resuscitating Streptococcus pneumoniae(Spn).Methods Spn 19F was selected for the preliminary screening of 9 kinds of formula culture media without animal-derived materials,and then other 23 serotypes of Spn were cultured for verification.The effect of the selected medium on the hereditary stability of various serotypes was identified by strain identification and capsular polysaccharide antigen gene sequence analysis of the 15-generation strains.The strains resuscitated by this medium were fermented according to the production procedure,and the culture situation and the yield and quality of capsular polysaccharide antigen were analyzed to determine the production applicability of the screened medium.Results The number of viable bacteria of various types of Spn was desired after 11～15 h of incubation on the selected solid medium and there was no difference in strain identification and antigen gene sequence between the final 15 generation and the control(strains cultured in sheep blood solid medium).After fermentation and culture of the strain resuscitated by this medium,the cell growth and the capsular polysaccharide production increased slightly,and all the related verification indicators of capsular polysaccharide met the requirements in Chinese Pharmacopoeia(Volume Ⅲ,2020 edition).Conclusion The selected solid culture medium without animal-derived materials has good applicability and can replace blood-derived culture medium for the resuscitation of Spn strain for vaccine production.

Establishment and Modification of Ninety-seven Pneumococcal Serotyping Assays Based on Quantitative Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#To establish and modify quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based serotyping assays to distinguish 97 pneumococcal serotypes.@*METHODS@#A database of capsular polysaccharide ( cps) loci sequences was generated, covering 97 pneumococcal serotypes. Bioinformatics analyses were performed to identify the cps loci structure and target genes related to different pneumococcal serotypes with specific SNPs. A total of 27 novel qPCR serotyping assay primers and probes were established based on qPCR, while 27 recombinant plasmids containing serotype-specific DNA sequence fragments were constructed as reference target sequences to examine the specificity and sensitivity of the qPCR assay. A panel of pneumococcal reference strains was employed to evaluate the capability of pneumococcal serotyping.@*RESULTS@#A total of 97 pneumococcal serotyping assays based on qPCR were established and modified, which included 64 serotypes previously reported as well as an additional 33 serotypes. Twenty-seven novel qPCR serotyping target sequences were implemented in the pneumococcal qPCR serotyping system. A total of 97 pneumococcal serotypes, which included 52 individual serotypes and 45 serotypes belonging to 20 serogroups, could not be identified as individual serotypes. The sensitivity of qPCR assays based on 27 target sequences was 1-100 copies/µL. The specificity of the qPCR assays was 100%, which were tested by a panel of 90 serotypes of the pneumococcal reference strains.@*CONCLUSION@#A total of 27 novel qPCR assays were established and modified to analyze 97 pneumococcal serotypes.

Dose-response relationship between age and Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccination coverage in kindergarten children / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the potential relationship between age and Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccination coverage in kindergarten children, and to provide a basis for guiding vaccination and developing new protein vaccines.@*METHODS@#The stratified cluster random sampling method was used to select 1 830 healthy children from six kindergartens in Shunde District, Foshan City, China, and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected for the isolation and identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The logistic regression model based on restricted cubic spline was used to analyze the dose-response relationship between age and Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccination coverage.@*RESULTS@#The rate of nasal Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage was 22.46% (411/1 830) among the kindergarten children, with the predominant serotypes of 6B, 19F, 15A, 23A, 34, and 23F. The coverage rates of 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) were 53.0% and 57.9%, respectively, and there was a significant non-linear dose-response relationship between age and the coverage rates of PCV10 and PCV13 (P<0.05), with a higher coverage rate of PCV10 (88.0%) and PCV13 (91.1%) in the children aged 2 years. There was a significant non-linear dose-response relationship between age and the coverage rates of pilus islet 1 (PI-1) and pilus islet 2 (PI-2) (P<0.05), with a lower vaccination coverage rate for PI-1 (37.7%) and PI-2 (16.1%). The coverage rates of PI-1 (13.0%-58.5%) and PI-2 (6.0%-29.4%) were lower in all age groups. The virulence genes lytA (99.5%) and ply (99.0%) associated with candidate protein vaccines showed higher vaccination coverage rates.@*CONCLUSIONS@#There is a significant non-linear dose-response relationship between the age of kindergarten children and the coverage rates of PCV10 and PCV13 serotypes, and kindergarten children aged 2 years have a relatively high coverage rate of PCV. The high prevalence of the virulence genes lytA and ply shows that they are expected to become candidate virulence factors for the development of a new generation of recombinant protein vaccines.

Pediatric case of septic arthritis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 19A

ABSTRACT In recent years, the incidence of pediatric septic arthritis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae has been quite low. The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine PCV10 is the available vaccine included in the Bulgarian national immunization program. PCV10 reduces the incidence of invasive diseases, but non-vaccinal serotypes like 19A, the etiologic agent of the case of septic arthritis reported herein in a 3-year-old boy. The synovial fluid was positive for S. pneumoniae. The patient was treated with vancomycin during hospitalization and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was recommended for at-home treatment. The isolate was subjected to latex agglutination, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, PCR detection for macrolide-resistance genes, and MLST. The strain revealed ST695 and a genotype previously associated with vaccine serotype 4. The incidence of pneumococcal infections caused by capsule-switching events and non-PCV10 serotypes is expected to increase.

Enfermedad invasiva por Streptococcus pneumoniae, en pacientes adultos. Periodo 2016 al 2018

Introducción: En Paraguay y en otras partes del mundo el Streptococcus pneumoniae es el principal agente causante de neumonía bacteriana, otitis media, meningitis y septicemia. Objetivo: Describir las características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes con enfermedad invasiva por Streptococcus pneumoniae atendidos en el Instituto de Medicina Tropical (IMT) durante los años 2016 al 2019. Metodología: Estudio observacional, descriptivo, transversal. Se incluyeron a todos los pacientes con enfermedad invasiva por Streptococcus pneumoniae confirmada. Resultados: Fueron incluidos 34 pacientes, la edad promedio fue de 44años, 76% fueron varones, 61% diagnóstico de infección por VIH. El foco infeccioso predominante fue el pulmonar. De las muestras biológicas con cultivos positivos, el 73% fueron aislados en sangre, y los restantes distribuidos entre muestras de esputo, líquido ceflorraquideo y liquido pleural. El 24% de los pacientes presentaron complicaciones, entre falla orgánica (15%) y empiema (9%). El 59% de los pacientes recibió tratamiento con cefalosporinas. La mortalidad intrahospitalaria registrada fue del 18%.Conclusión: Los pacientes con enfermedad invasiva que acudieron al IMT durante los años 2016 al 2019 fueron en su mayoría adultos jóvenes, inmunosuprimidos, con neumonía.

Introduction: In Paraguay and in other parts of the world, Streptococcus pneumoniae is the main causative agent of bacterial pneumonia, otitis media, meningitis and septicemia. Objective: To describe the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of patients with invasive disease due to Streptococcus pneumoniae treated at the Institute of Tropical Medicine (IMT) during the years 2016 to 2019. Methodology: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. All patients with confirmed invasive disease due to Streptococcus pneumoniae were included. Results: 34 patients were included, the average age was 44 years, 76% were male, 61% diagnosed with HIV infection. The predominant infectious focus was the lung. Of the biological samples with positive cultures, 73% were isolated from blood, and the rest distributed among samples of sputum, cerebrospinal fluid, and pleural fluid. 24% of the patients presented complications, between organic failure (15%) and empyema (9%). 59% of the patients received treatment with cephalosporins. The registered intrahospital mortality was 18%. Conclusion: The patients with invasive disease who attended the IMT during the years 2016 to 2019 were mostly young adults, immunosuppressed, with pneumonia.