Abstract |
Pneumococcal pneumonia is a life-threatening disease with high mortality and morbidity among children under 5 years of age, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals worldwide. Protection against pneumococcal pneumonia relies on successful regulation of colonisation in the nasopharynx and a brisk alveolar macrophage-mediated immune response in the lung. Therefore, enhancing pulmonary mucosal immunity (which includes a combination of innate, humoral and cell-mediated immunity) through mucosal vaccination might be the key to prevention of pneumococcal infection. Current challenges include a lack of information in humans on mucosal immunity against pneumococci and a lack of suitable adjuvants for new vaccines. Data from mouse models, however, suggest that mucosally active vaccines will enhance mucosal and systemic immunity for protection against pneumococcal infection.
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Authors | Kondwani C Jambo, Enoch Sepako, Robert S Heyderman, Stephen B Gordon |
Journal | Trends in microbiology
(Trends Microbiol)
Vol. 18
Issue 2
Pg. 81-9
(Feb 2010)
ISSN: 1878-4380 [Electronic] England |
PMID | 20031415
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
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Copyright | (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Animals
- Disease Models, Animal
- Humans
- Immunity, Mucosal
- Mice
- Models, Biological
- Pneumococcal Vaccines
(immunology)
- Pneumonia, Pneumococcal
(immunology, prevention & control)
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