Pneumococcal Phase Variants in Invasive Infections
Author Information
Author(s): Serrano I, Melo-Cristino J, Ramirez M
Primary Institution: Instituto de Microbiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
Hypothesis
Are certain serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae more likely to exhibit specific colony opacity phenotypes in invasive human infections?
Conclusion
The opaque phenotype was the most frequent among invasive isolates, with variability in opacity phenotypes observed among different serotypes.
Supporting Evidence
- Over half of the isolates (52%) presented the opaque phenotype.
- Serotypes 1, 4, and 23F were more frequently associated with the opaque phenotype.
- Serotypes 3 and 14 were less frequently associated with the opaque phenotype.
Takeaway
This study looked at different types of bacteria that can cause infections and found that some types are more likely to look a certain way, which might help us understand why some cause more serious diseases.
Methodology
The study analyzed 304 invasive isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, determining their colony opacity phenotypes and serotypes.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the laboratory passage of isolates before scoring for opacity phenotype.
Limitations
The study only examined isolates from invasive infections, which may not represent the full range of pneumococcal diversity.
Participant Demographics
Isolates were from invasive infections in humans, but specific demographic data on patients was not provided.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
CI95% = 3.6–27.9 for serotype 1, CI95% = 2.4–60.2 for serotype 4, CI95% = 1.2–18.2 for serotype 23F
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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