Two variants among Haemophilus influenzae serotype b strains with distinct bcs4, hcsA and hcsB genes display differences in expression of the polysaccharide capsule.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite nearly complete vaccine coverage, a small number of fully vaccinated children in the Netherlands have experienced invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib). This increase started in 2002, nine years after the introduction of nationwide vaccination in the Netherlands. The capsular polysaccharide of Hib is used as a conjugate vaccine to protect against Hib disease. To evaluate the possible rise of escape variants, explaining the increased number of vaccine failures we analyzed the composition of the capsular genes and the expressed polysaccharide of Dutch Hib strains collected before and after the introduction of Hib vaccination.

Results

The DNA sequences of the complete capsular gene clusters of 9 Dutch Hib strains were assessed and

SUBMITTER: Schouls L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2267795 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature