Abstract

Infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of death in children and burden of disease is greatest where helminth infections are also common. We investigated the impact of intestinal helminth co-infection on pneumococcal carriage; a risk factor for invasive disease. We used a mouse co-infection model and clinical data to assess the impact of co-infection on carriage density. Co-infection in mice was associated with increased pneumococcal carriage density and dissemination into lungs. Helminth-infected children also exhibited increased carriage density as compared to uninfected children. Anthelmintic treatment may be a cost-effective method of reducing pneumococcal disease burden in lower-income countries.

Details

Title
Intestinal helminth co-infection is an unrecognised risk factor for increased pneumococcal carriage density and invasive disease
Author
Law, Alice E 1 ; Shears, Rebecca K 1 ; Lopez Rodas Andrea A 2 ; Grencis, Richard K 3 ; Cooper, Philip J 4 ; Neill, Daniel R 1 ; Kadioglu Aras 1 

 University of Liverpool, Department of Clinical Immunology, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Liverpool, UK (GRID:grid.10025.36) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 8470) 
 Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, School of Medicine, Quito, Ecuador (GRID:grid.442217.6) (ISNI:0000 0001 0435 9828) 
 University of Manchester, School of Biological Sciences, Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Cell Matrix Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK (GRID:grid.5379.8) (ISNI:0000000121662407) 
 Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, School of Medicine, Quito, Ecuador (GRID:grid.442217.6) (ISNI:0000 0001 0435 9828); St George’s University of London, Institute of Infection and Immunity, London, UK (GRID:grid.264200.2) (ISNI:0000 0000 8546 682X) 
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2505573071
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.