What is pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide?
pneumoniae is capsular polysaccharide (CPS), the types of which determine the serotypes of the pneumococcal bacterium (Dubos and Avery, 1931; Henrichsen, 1995). CPS composes the outer layer of S. pneumoniae, and more than 90 structurally different serotypes of S.
What disease does streptococcus pneumoniae cause?
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of middle ear infections, sepsis (blood infection) in children and pneumonia in immunocompromised individuals and the elderly. It can also cause meningitis (inflammation of the coverings of the brain and spinal cord) or sinus infections.
What is capsular polysaccharide?
Capsular polysaccharides are highly hydrated molecules that are over 95% water [2]. They are often linked to the cell surface of the bacterium via covalent attachments to either phospholipid or lipid-A molecules, although some CPS may be associated with the cell in the absence of a membrane anchor [1, 3].
What is the purpose of capsule?
It has several functions: promote bacterial adhesion to surfaces or interaction with other organisms; act as a permeability barrier, as a defense mechanism against phagocytosis and/or as a nutrient reserve. Among pathogens, capsule formation often correlates with pathogenicity.
How do you get strep pneumoniae?
Streptococcus pneumoniae is spread from person to person by the inhalation of respiratory droplets (e.g. coughing, sneezing) from an infected person.
How do you get rid of Streptococcus pneumoniae?
Doctors use antibiotics to treat pneumococcal disease. However, some pneumococcal bacteria have become resistant to certain antibiotics used to treat these infections. Available data show that pneumococcal bacteria are resistant to one or more antibiotics in 3 out of every 10 cases.
Which is a polysaccharide vaccine?
Polysaccharide vaccines (meningococcal, pneumococcal, and typhoid) are poorly immunogenic and therefore less effective in children <2 years old.
How do polysaccharide capsules work?
Polysaccharide capsules are structures found on the cell surface of a broad range of bacterial species. The polysaccharide capsule often constitutes the outermost layer of the cell, and therefore is often involved in mediating direct interactions between the bacteria and its environment.
Can I open a capsule pill and take it?
When taking a prescription drug, you should never crush a tablet, open a capsule or chew either without first asking the prescribing health care provider or dispensing pharmacist whether it is safe to do so.
How do capsule pills work?
Capsules include medication that’s enclosed in an outer shell. This outer shell is broken down in the digestive tract and the medication is absorbed into the bloodstream and then distributed and metabolized in much the same way as medication from a tablet.
What are symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia?
Symptoms of pneumococcal infection depend on the part of the body affected. Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, stiff neck, confusion, increased sensitivity to light, joint pain, chills, ear pain, sleeplessness, and irritability.
What is a polysaccharide?
A polysaccharide is a large molecule made of many smaller monosaccharides. Monosaccharides are simple sugars, like glucose. Special enzymes bind these small monomers together creating large sugar polymers, or polysaccharides. A polysaccharide is also called a glycan. A polysaccharide can be a homopolysaccharide,
What are residual C-polysaccharide (C-PS)?
Purified capsular polysaccharide preparations from Streptococcus pneumoniae that are used for vaccine production typically contain residual levels of C-polysaccharide (C-Ps). Residual C-Ps is typically found in one of two forms, either chemically linked to the capsular polysaccharide (bound) or present by itself (free).
What is the theoretical concordance of capsular polysaccharides?
The diagonal line with a slope of 1.0 represents the theoretical concordance between the two methods. Growing evidence in the literature shows that C-Ps is covalently associated with the capsular polysaccharide through peptidoglycan [18], [30], [31].
What affects the formation of polysaccharides?
The complex interaction between their hydroxyl groups (OH), other side groups, the configurations of the molecules, and the enzymes involved all affect the resulting polysaccharide produced. A polysaccharide used for energy storage will give easy access to the monosaccharides, while maintaining a compact structure.