Key points
- CDC's Streptococcus Laboratory is a reference center for multiple pathogens of public health importance, including Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus).
- The laboratory supports health departments with characterizing isolates, including during outbreak investigations.
Background
S. pneumoniae cause a wide range of infections that are generally called pneumococcal disease.
Less severe infections are very common in young children. Invasive disease is less common but can be deadly.
Vaccines are available to help prevent pneumococcal disease in children and adults. However, pneumococcal vaccines don't protect against every serotype. In general, vaccines provide protection against different serotypes.
Typing and characterization
CDC's Streptococcus Laboratory offers extensive information on how to serotype S. pneumoniae isolates, including using conventional and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
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Pneumococcal carriage protocols
The lab also has notable experience supporting carriage studies to measure the impact of vaccination strategies and specific vaccines.
Detailed protocols for specimen collection, processing, and storage of nasopharyngeal swabs for pneumococcal carriage studies are provided below.