PROTECTION OF MICE AGAINST FATAL PNEUMOCOCCAL CHALLENGE BY IMMUNIZATION WITH PNEUMOCOCCAL SURFACE ADHESIN-A (PSAA)

Pneumococcal surface adhesin A (PsaA) is a 37-kDa surface protein pres ent on Streptococcus pneumoniae having significant homology with fimbr ial adhesion proteins. Immunization of CBA/CaHNJXid mice with PsaA usi ng either complete Freund's or TiterMax(TM) adjuvants significantly pr otected mice against heterologous intravenous challenge with type 3 pn eumococcal strain WU2 at doses up to 45 times the LD(50). The results indicate that PsaA warrants further evaluation as a vaccine candidate for human pneumococcal disease.