Modulation of nasopharyngeal innate defenses by viral coinfection predisposes individuals to experimental pneumococcal carriage.

ABSTRACT: Increased nasopharyngeal colonization density has been associated with pneumonia. We used experimental human pneumococcal carriage to investigate whether upper respiratory tract viral infection predisposes individuals to carriage. A total of 101 healthy subjects were screened for respiratory virus before pneumococcal intranasal challenge. Virus was associated with increased odds of colonization (75% virus positive became colonized vs. 46% virus-negative subjects; P=0.02). Nasal Factor H (FH) levels were increased in virus-positive subjects and were associated with increased colonization density. Using an in vitro epithelial model we explored the impact of increased mucosal FH in the context of coinfection. Epithelial inflammation and FH binding resulted in increased pneumococcal adherence

SUBMITTER: Glennie S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4703943 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature