Mucosal vaccine based on attenuated influenza virus and the group B Streptococcus recombinant peptides protected mice from influenza and S. pneumoniae infections.

Although many influenza-related deaths are attributable to secondary bacterial infection with S. pneumoniae, vaccines that simultaneously protect against influenza and pneumococcal infection are currently not developed. The aim of our study was to evaluate the possibility to prevent post-influenza pneumococcal infection using an associated vaccine based on live influenza vaccine (LAIV) combined with recombinant polypeptides derived from superficial factors of Group B streptococcus (GBS) determining pathogenicity. We demonstrated in a model of post-influenza pneumococcal pneumonia that intranasal pneumococcal super-infection seriously complicated the course of A/Shanghai/2/2013(H7N9) CDC-RG virus infection in mice. Associated immunization using LAIV and GBS vaccine (GBSV) prevented post-influenza pneumococcal pneumonia better than mono-LAIV or GBSV immunization. At the same time, parenteral pneumococcal post-influenza infection of immune mice was more severe in the groups immunized using recombinant GBS peptides which can be explained by antibody-dependent enhancement of infection. In this case, the introduction of blockers of histamine receptors type 1 and 2 reduced the burden of secondary pneumococcal infection.

Clinical strains of Streptococcus agalactiae carry two different variants of pathogenicity island XII.

Streptococcus agalactiae or Group B streptococci (GBS) are a common cause of serious diseases of newborns and adults. GBS pathogenicity largely depends on genes located on the accessory genome including several pathogenicity islands (PAI). The present paper is focused on the structure and molecular epidemiological analysis of one of the GBS pathogenicity islands-the pathogenicity island PAI XII (Glaser et al. Mol Microbiol 45(6):1499-1513, 2002). This PAI was found to be composed of three different mobile genetic elements: a composite transposon (PAI-C), a genomic islet (PAI-B), and a pathogenicity island associated with gene sspB1 (PAI-A). PAI-A in GBS has a homolog--PAI-A1 with similar, but a different genetic constellation. PCR-based analysis of GBS collections from different countries revealed that a strains lineage with PAI-A is less common than PAI-A1 and was determined to be present only among the strains obtained from Russia. Our results suggest that PAI-A and PAI-A1 have the same progenitor, which evolved independently and appeared in the GBS genome as separate genetic events. Results of this study reflect specific geographical distribution of the GBS strains with the mobile genetic element under study.

Prevention of Influenza A(H7N9) and Bacterial Infections in Mice Using Intranasal Immunization With Live Influenza Vaccine and the Group B Streptococcus Recombinant Polypeptides.

We investigate the protective effect of combined vaccination based on live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) and group B streptococcus (GBS) recombinant polypeptides against potential pandemic H7N9 influenza infection followed by GBS burden. Mice were intranasally immunized using 107 50% egg infectious dose (EID50) of H7N3 LAIV, the mix of the 4 GBS peptides (group B streptococcus vaccine [GBSV]), or combined LAIV + GBSV vaccine. The LAIV raised serum hemagglutination-inhibition antibodies against H7N9 in higher titers than against H7N3. Combined vaccination provided advantageous protection against infections with A/Shanghai/2/2013(H7N9)CDC-RG influenza and serotype II GBS. Combined vaccine significantly improved bacterial clearance from the lungs after infection compared with other vaccine groups. The smallest lung lesions due to combined LAIV + GBSV vaccination were associated with a prevalence of lung interferon-γ messenger RNA expression. Thus, combined viral and bacterial intranasal immunization using H7N3 LAIV and recombinant bacterial polypeptides induced balanced adaptive immune response, providing protection against potential pandemic influenza H7N9 and bacterial complications.

Evaluation in Mouse Model of Combined Virus-bacterial Vaccine Based on Attenuated Influenza A(H7N3) Virus and the Group B Streptococcus Recombinant Polypeptides.

BACKGROUND: Secondary bacterial influenza complications are a common cause of excesses morbidity and mortality, which determines the need to develop means for specific prophylaxis. Group B streptococcal infection is especially common cause of pneumonia among children and the elderly with underlying conditions. Here we investigate in a mouse model the effects of combined intranasal immunization using live attenuated influenza vaccine and recombinant polypeptides based on group B Streptococcus surface proteins. METHODS: Groups of outbred mice received two doses of the following preparations: 1) the reassortant A/17/Mallard/Netherlands/00/95 (H7N3) influenza virus; 2) a mixture of P6, ScaAB, ScpB1 and Stv recombinant GBS proteins (20 µg total); 3) the A(H7N3) influenza vaccine pooled with the four bacterial peptide preparation; 4) control animals were treated with PBS. RESULTS: Intranasal vaccination using LAIV in combination with GBS polypeptides provided advantageous protection against infections with homologous A/Mallard/Netherlands/12/00 (H7N3) wild type virus or heterologous A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) followed by serotype II GBS infection. Also, combined vaccination improved bacterial clearance from the lungs of mice. CONCLUSION: Intranasal immunization with LAIV+GBSV was safe and enabled to induce the antibody response to each of vaccine components. Thus, the combined vaccine increased the protective effect against influenza and its bacterial complications in mice compared to LAIV-only.