Molecular analysis of pneumococcal disease

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/207722

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is an important human pathogen, which is responsible for the deaths of millions of children each year in developing countries. The high morbidity and mortality associated with pneumococcal disease is also being exacerbated by the rate at which this organism is acquiring resistance to multiple antibiotics. Existing pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines are poorly immunogenic in young children and only provide cover against a limited range of serotypes. Serotype coverage is even lower in the more immunogenic conjugate vaccines currently being developed; these will also be very expensive, thereby limiting their use in developing countries, where the need for effective paediatric vaccines is greatest. Pneumococci produce a variety of proteins which are important in causing disease, but the relative contribution of these factors at each stage of the infection process remain to be determined. Moreover, virtually nothing is known of the mechanism whereby these virulence factors are regulated in response to the external environment of the bacterium. In view of this, we are conducting a comprehensive examination of the mechanisms of pathogenesis of pneumococcal disease, with particular reference to the role of putative virulence proteins. This information is being used to develop cheap and effective vaccines based on pneumococcal protein antigens common to all serotypes.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2002

End Date: 01-01-2003

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $321,320.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Allergy

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Streptococcus pneumoniae | infectious disease | meningitis | otitis media | pathogenesis | pneumococcal vaccine antigens | pneumonia | prevention of pneumococcal infections | targeted mutagenesis | virulence factor

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