2024
A low-cost culture- and DNA extraction-free method for the molecular detection of pneumococcal carriage in saliva
Peno C, Lin T, Hislop M, Yolda-Carr D, Farjado K, York A, Pitzer V, Weinberger D, Bei A, Allicock O, Wyllie A. A low-cost culture- and DNA extraction-free method for the molecular detection of pneumococcal carriage in saliva. Microbiology Spectrum 2024, 12: e00591-24. PMID: 39028185, PMCID: PMC11370248, DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00591-24.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDetection of pneumococciDetection of pneumococcal carriagePneumococcal carriageCarriage surveillanceLow-resource settingsChildren attending childcare centersCarriage of pneumococciDNA extractionSaliva samplesMolecular methodsCultural enrichmentImprove surveillance effortsQPCR-based protocolPneumococcal vaccineExtraction-free methodMolecular detectionNucleic acid extractionVaccination strategiesPneumococciCulture-enrichment methodExtraction-free protocolPurified DNASalivaPaired samplesCarriage
2023
Persistence of Pneumococcal Carriage among Older Adults in the Community despite COVID-19 Mitigation Measures
Wyllie A, Mbodj S, Thammavongsa D, Hislop M, Yolda-Carr D, Waghela P, Nakahata M, Stahlfeld A, Vega N, York A, Allicock O, Wilkins G, Ouyang A, Siqueiros L, Strong Y, Anastasio K, Alexander-Parrish R, Arguedas A, Gessner B, Weinberger D. Persistence of Pneumococcal Carriage among Older Adults in the Community despite COVID-19 Mitigation Measures. Microbiology Spectrum 2023, 11: e04879-22. PMID: 37036377, PMCID: PMC10269788, DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04879-22.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInvasive pneumococcal diseasePneumococcal diseaseSchool-aged childrenOlder adultsPneumococcal carriageSaliva samplesCOVID-19 pandemicRate of carriageCOVID-19-related disruptionsUpper respiratory tractRegular contactNew Haven areaFirst yearCarriage prevalencePre-pandemic levelsMedical historyRespiratory tractHigh prevalenceStreptococcus pneumoniaeCOVID-19 mitigation measuresStudy participantsPneumococciPrevalenceDiseaseCarriage
2011
Serotype replacement in disease after pneumococcal vaccination
Weinberger DM, Malley R, Lipsitch M. Serotype replacement in disease after pneumococcal vaccination. The Lancet 2011, 378: 1962-1973. PMID: 21492929, PMCID: PMC3256741, DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(10)62225-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-vaccine serotypesSerotype replacementPneumococcal diseaseHeptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccinePneumococcal conjugate vaccineImportant public health benefitsBenefits of vaccinationPublic health benefitsDisease surveillance systemsNVT carriagePneumococcal vaccinationSurveillance biasesConjugate vaccineVaccine serotypesCarriage prevalencePneumococcal serotypesAsymptomatic carriersCarriage dataDiseaseVaccinationHealth benefitsLow invasivenessPrevalenceSerotypesCarriage
2009
Pneumococcal Capsular Polysaccharide Structure Predicts Serotype Prevalence
Weinberger DM, Trzciński K, Lu YJ, Bogaert D, Brandes A, Galagan J, Anderson PW, Malley R, Lipsitch M. Pneumococcal Capsular Polysaccharide Structure Predicts Serotype Prevalence. PLOS Pathogens 2009, 5: e1000476. PMID: 19521509, PMCID: PMC2689349, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000476.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSerotype replacementCarriage prevalenceNasopharyngeal carriageCapsular serotypesNon-vaccine serotypesNeutrophil-mediated killingNasopharyngeal carriage prevalenceCapsular polysaccharideVaccinated populationSerotype prevalenceEpidemiological patternsPrevalent serotypesStreptococcus pneumoniaeBacterial factorsParticular serotypePrevalenceImportant serotypesNovel biological principleSerotypesDifferent serotypesCarriageNeutrophilsBiological differencesKillingVaccination