Detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae and immunization against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection

摘要

The present invention relates to oligonucleotide primers, and methods of diagnosis using the primers, wherein particular primer pairs prime the universal amplification of an amplicon for specific Streptococcus pneumoniae from all 90 known serotypes. The amplicon includes at least a portion of the psaA gene of Steptococcus pneumoniae. In the methods, amplification of a biological sample using the primer pairs of the invention provide an amplicon only if the sample contains a serotype of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The invention further relates to an isolated nucleic acid including a nucleic acid amplicon obtained using a pair of oligonucleotide primers of the invention. In still a further aspect, the invention discloses a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid amplicon obtained using oligonucleotide primers. Additionally, methods of stimulating an immune response against a serotype of Streptococcus pneumoniae in a mammal include either administering a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid amplicon obtained using the pair of oligonucleotide primers of the invention, or administering a nucleic acid containing a nucleic acid amplicon obtained using the pair of oligonucleotide primers of the invention.