Combination of whole cell pertussis vaccine and the pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) antigen: proposal of a combined vaccine against pertussis and pneumococcal diseases

摘要

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is one of the major agents of respiratory acute diseases, accounting for 1 million deaths per year around the world. In developing countries, pneumococcal diseases kill 800,000 children annually. PspA is a surface pneumococcal antigen, shown to elicit protection against animal models of pneumococcal infections, in different vaccine formulations. The whole cell pertussis vaccine (WCP) is widely used in developing countries and its first dose is indicated to be given at 2 months of age.