Human immunogenicity studies on group A streptococcal C5a peptidase (SCPA) as a potential vaccine against group A streptococcal infections.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Group A streptococcal C5a peptidase (SCPA) is a major virulence surface factor. Its highly conserved nature among all tested serotypes of group A streptococci (GAS) as well as animal protection studies make SCPA a prime vaccine candidate. The present study was undertaken to explore the human immunogenicity to SCPA using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. METHODS: Children (n=72) who had signs and symptoms of acute pharyngitis and had GAS isolated from the throat at initial visit were included. Acute and convalescent sera were collected 4 weeks apart. ELISA was performed using recombinant SCPA peptide as antigen. RESULTS: The mean convalescent anti-SCPA level was twice the level of mean acute anti-SCPA and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). There was a rise in convalescent anti-SCPA in all children aged 2-12 yr. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Our observations confirmed that SCPA was highly immunogenic in children infected with group A streptococcal pharyngitis. Further studies need to be done to characterize the immune response including antibody subclass.

Addressing the burden of group A streptococcal disease in India.

Group A streptococcus-associated disease and sequelae continue to have devastating effects on public health and national economy as they mainly affect children and young adults. There is an urgent need for wider application of methods of primary prevention, in the form of optimal diagnosis and management of the simple group A streptococcal sore throat. This review article briefly summarizes the burden of streptococcal disease in India, and discusses treatment options standardized by the World Health Organization. Penicillin continues to remain the drug of choice for treating group A streptococcal pharyngitis and for prevention of acute rheumatic fever in non-allergic patients. Also discussed in this review are contemporary thoughts on streptococcal "carriers", recurrent infections, antibiotic treatment "failures" and emergence of drug resistance among group A streptococci.

Estreptococos beta hemolíticos aislados en Buenos Aires y su relevancia en la epidemiología de las infecciones estreptocóccicas, fiebre reumática y glomerulonefritis aguda / Beta hemolytic streptococci isolated in Buenos Aires and its relevance for the epidemiology of streptococcal infections, rheumatic fever, and acute glomerulonephritis

Se aislaron 118 cepas de estreptococos beta hemolíticos (EBH) de hisopados de fauces de niños de Buenos Aires, que presentaban angina y/o faringitis, con el objeto de realizar su agrupamiento y tipificación. Las mismas fueron enviadas, debidamente acondicionadas, a la Universidad de Minnesota, EE.UU. Ciento dos cepas (86%) fueron estreptococos beta hemolíticos del grupo A (EBHA) y 16 (14%) fueron del grupo C y G. Los cuatro tipos de cepas EBHA más frecuentemente hallados fueron: T 12 Factor de opacidad 22 M 6 T 6 M 1 T 1 T 11 Factor de opacidad 78 Se comenta la relación entre EBHA y sitios específicos de infección y su asociación con secuelas no supurativas, así como la existencia de cepas "reumatogénicas" y "nefritogénicas"