Title : Progression of pneumococcal nasopharynx colonization in relation to the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in children between the ages of 2 months to 5 years at Boston medical center
Abstract:
The Nasopharyngeal Surveillance Study clinically investigates the progression of Streptococcus Pneumoniae (SP) Naso Pharynx (NP) colonization in relation to the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines, specifically 7-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine and 20-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (20vPnc) over the course of 5 years (2021-2026). This study aims to examine pneumococcal colonization 2 years prior to and 3 years after 20vPnC introduction, to understand how nasopharyngeal colonization of this bacteria has evolved in the patient population of 2- month-to-5-year-old children at Boston Medical Center. Pneumococcal nasopharynx colonization, detected through nasopharyngeal calcium alginate swabs, has been identified as a major source of pneumococcal transmission between the pediatric and adult populations. Scrutiny of pneumococcal colonization has led to a deeper understanding of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) effectiveness on various serotypes, the invasive capability of each serotype and the advancement or regression of antimicrobial action, such as PCV and antibiotics, on Streptococcus Pneumoniae over time in the aforementioned patient population. In this 5-year-study, researchers in the Pelton Lab at Boston Medical Center set out to understand SP NP prevalence for 13vPnC serotypes, 20vPnC serotypes, and individually discovered serotypes across the pediatric population. It is expected that increased prevalence of the 19F serotype with 13vPnc introduction many years ago foreshadows the pattern of increased prevalence of 13vPnC serotypes amidst 20vPnC introduction this year.
Audience Take Away Notes
- Understand the extent of vaccination required in the pediatric community to establish herd immunity among adults
- Understand how serotypes and mutations of a microbe, not accounted for in a vaccine, create future medical implications
- Understand the immunological mechanisms that control microbial persistence in the human body
- Allows vaccine developers and current researchers to consider newer, more effective ways of creating vaccines that account for plausible microbial mutations and alterations
- Allows researchers to improve methods of microbial surveillance linked to pediatric infectious diseases through creative research methods and procedures
