EC Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine

Streptococcus pneumoniae resides asymptomatically (non-invasive) in healthy carriers by colonizing in the respiratory tract, sinuses, and nasal cavity. However, in the case of susceptible elderly, young children, and immunocompromised patients due to their weak immune systems. S. pneumoniae became highly invasive and pathogenic causing pneumonia and other pneumococcal diseases. S. pneumoniae has multiple virulence factors that capable to adhere and invade host cells and tissue. In addition, S. pneumoniae is capable to escape host immune defenses to survive. These serious proprieties of S. pneumoniae infection causing epidemiological concern due to its highly impact on world public health with estimated over one million death per year. Continue understanding S. pneumoniae’s virulence factors, host immune responses, and pneumococcal diseases prevention, in addition to continue improving diagnostics test methods, pneumococcal diseases treatments, and vaccines will enhance regulations and infection prevention from this serious pathogenic microbe.

 Keywords: Streptococcus Pneumoniae; Pneumococcus; Non-Invasive; Invasive; Pneumococcal Diseases; Virulence Factors; Diagnostics; Antibiotic Resistance; Penicillin-Binding Proteins; Vaccines

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