Anne Botteaux1, Isolda Budnik1, Pierre R Smeesters1,2,3,4. 1. Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory. 2. Department of Pediatrics, Academic Children Hospital Queen Fabiola, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. 3. Streptococcus Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute. 4. Centre for International Child Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recent findings have open new perspectives on group A Streptococcus (GAS) virulence understanding with special focus on the carrier stage and new hopes for an efficient vaccine against this important pathogen. RECENT FINDINGS: Understanding of carriage state, transmission and role of virulence factors in invasive infections have been recently active research fields questioning the link between carriage and infections and highlighting the potential to prevent invasive diseases. New roles for already well known virulence factors, such as Streptolysin O, M protein or NAD(+)-glycohydrolase have been discovered. Immunological studies have also shown diversity in both clinical and immunological responses toward various GAS antigens raising questions, and hopes, for the development of an efficient global vaccine candidate. SUMMARY: A greater understanding of GAS virulence strategies, and their associated clinical manifestations, may be obtained by shifting our research scope toward virulence determinant interactions and cooperation rather than focusing on individual virulence factor or specific strain characterization only.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recent findings have open new perspectives on group A Streptococcus (GAS) virulence understanding with special focus on the carrier stage and new hopes for an efficient vaccine against this important pathogen. RECENT FINDINGS: Understanding of carriage state, transmission and role of virulence factors in invasive infections have been recently active research fields questioning the link between carriage and infections and highlighting the potential to prevent invasive diseases. New roles for already well known virulence factors, such as Streptolysin O, M protein or NAD(+)-glycohydrolase have been discovered. Immunological studies have also shown diversity in both clinical and immunological responses toward various GAS antigens raising questions, and hopes, for the development of an efficient global vaccine candidate. SUMMARY: A greater understanding of GAS virulence strategies, and their associated clinical manifestations, may be obtained by shifting our research scope toward virulence determinant interactions and cooperation rather than focusing on individual virulence factor or specific strain characterization only.
Authors: Haniyeh Aghababa; Yi Tian Ting; Devaki Pilapitiya; Jacelyn M S Loh; Paul G Young; Thomas Proft Journal: Virulence Date: 2022-12 Impact factor: 5.882