It is unclear whether Streptococcus pneumoniae in biofilms are virulent and contribute to development of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Using electron microscopy we confirmed the development of mature pneumococcal biofilms in a continuous-flow-through line model and determined that biofilm formation occurred in discrete stages with mature biofilms composed primarily of dead pneumococci. C...

BACKGROUND Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the major bacterial pathogens colonizing nasopharynx, and often causes upper respiratory tract infections in children. We investigated the prevalence of S. pneumoniae in nasopharynx and adenoid core in 57 children aged 2-5 years who underwent adenoidectomy for recurrent pharyngotonsillitis, and we determined serotypes and antibiotic resistance patte...

During the investigations described in another paper defibrinated blood and blood serum were frequently used, either alone or mixed with agar, as media upon which to grow pneumoeocci and streptococci. It was immediately noted that the organisms grew very differently in serum obtained from different individuals. The variations were so marked and the results obtained so striking that it was decid...

most interesting were those having all the characteristic appearances of Fraenkel's pneumococcus. The preparation was stained by Gram's method, and it will be noticed that a clear capsule exists round the diplococci, which are in single pairs and in chains. The organism which is generally known as Fraenkel's pneumococcus was discovered by Sternberg and Pasteur in 1880. It was found by Fraenkel ...

Streptococcus pneumoniae cause considerable morbidity and mortality, with persistent neurological sequelae, particularly in young children and the elderly. It is widely assumed that carriage occurs through direct mucosal colonization from the environment whereas meningitis results from invasion from the blood. However, the results of published studies can be interpreted that pneumococci may ent...

Complement is important for elimination of invasive microbes from the host, an action achieved largely through interaction of complement-decorated pathogens with various complement receptors (CR) on phagocytes. Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) has been shown to interfere with complement deposition onto pneumococci, but to date the impact of PspA on CR-mediated host defense is unknown. To g...

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a pathogen that causes severe local and life-threatening invasive diseases, which are associated with high mortality rates. Pneumococci have evolved several strategies to evade the host immune system, including complement to disseminate and to survive in various host niches. Thus, pneumococci bind complement inhibitors such as C4b-binding protein (C4BP...