Mucosal vaccine based on attenuated influenza virus and the group B Streptococcus recombinant peptides protected mice from influenza and S. pneumoniae infections

PLoS One. 2019 Jun 25;14(6):e0218544. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218544. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Although many influenza-related deaths are attributable to secondary bacterial infection with S. pneumoniae, vaccines that simultaneously protect against influenza and pneumococcal infection are currently not developed. The aim of our study was to evaluate the possibility to prevent post-influenza pneumococcal infection using an associated vaccine based on live influenza vaccine (LAIV) combined with recombinant polypeptides derived from superficial factors of Group B streptococcus (GBS) determining pathogenicity. We demonstrated in a model of post-influenza pneumococcal pneumonia that intranasal pneumococcal super-infection seriously complicated the course of A/Shanghai/2/2013(H7N9) CDC-RG virus infection in mice. Associated immunization using LAIV and GBS vaccine (GBSV) prevented post-influenza pneumococcal pneumonia better than mono-LAIV or GBSV immunization. At the same time, parenteral pneumococcal post-influenza infection of immune mice was more severe in the groups immunized using recombinant GBS peptides which can be explained by antibody-dependent enhancement of infection. In this case, the introduction of blockers of histamine receptors type 1 and 2 reduced the burden of secondary pneumococcal infection.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
  • Coinfection / immunology
  • Coinfection / prevention & control*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunization / methods
  • Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype / immunology
  • Influenza Vaccines / genetics
  • Influenza Vaccines / immunology*
  • Influenza Vaccines / therapeutic use
  • Influenza, Human / complications
  • Influenza, Human / immunology
  • Influenza, Human / prevention & control*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred DBA
  • Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / etiology
  • Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / immunology
  • Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / prevention & control*
  • Streptococcal Vaccines / genetics
  • Streptococcal Vaccines / immunology*
  • Streptococcal Vaccines / therapeutic use
  • Vaccines, Conjugate / genetics
  • Vaccines, Conjugate / immunology*
  • Vaccines, Conjugate / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Influenza Vaccines
  • Streptococcal Vaccines
  • Vaccines, Conjugate
  • streptococcal beta antigen

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.