Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is common among children and can be fatal in certain conditions. In children, CAP can be caused by viral or bacterial infections. Identification of pathogens can help select appropriate therapeutic strategies. Salivary analysis may be a potential diagnostic tool because it is noninvasive, patient-friendly, and easy to perform in children. A prospective study was conducted in children with pneumonia admitted to a hospital. Salivary samples from patients with definite Streptococcus pneumoniae and influenza A strains were used for gel-free (isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)) proteomics. No statistically significant difference was detected in salivary CRP levels between Streptococcus pneumoniae and influenza A pneumonia in children. Several potential salivary biomarkers were identified using gel-free iTRAQ proteomics to differentiate pneumonia from Streptococcus pneumoniae or influenza A virus infections in pediatric patients. ELISA validated that Streptococcus pneumoniae group has a higher abundance of salivary alpha 1-antichymotrypsin than those in the influenza A group. Whether these salivary biomarkers can be used to distinguish other bacteria from viral pneumonia requires further verification.
Keywords: Streptococcus pneumoniae; biomarkers; children; influenza A; pneumonia; saliva.