Evaluation of serotype prediction by cpsA-cpsB gene polymorphism in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT: New pneumococcal conjugate vaccines covering a limited number of serotypes are likely to come into widespread use over the next few years. It is unknown what effect this will have on the relative importance of different serotypes as causes of pneumococcal infection. Hence, it will be important to monitor serotype prevalence before, during, and after the introduction of new vaccines. We have investigated the ability of a PCR method based on polymorphisms in two genes common to the different capsule loci to predict the serotype of 93 clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae submitted to the Central Public Health Laboratory in 1997. Of 70 isolates with vaccine serotypes, 65 were predicted to belong to the correct serotype; this number was improved to 69 with the inclusion of two addition

SUBMITTER: Lawrence ER 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC86439 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature