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Infection and Immunity, January 2001, p. 602-606, Vol. 69, No. 1
Division of Otologic Research, College of
Medicine and Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus,
Ohio 43210,1 and Departments of Pediatrics and
Microbiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of
Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
191042
Received 21 July 2000/Returned for modification 28 September
2000/Accepted 13 October 2000
Phase variation in the colonial opacity of Streptococcus
pneumoniae has been implicated as a factor in bacterial
adherence, colonization, and invasion in the pathogenesis of
pneumococcal disease. Additionally, the synergistic effects of
influenza A virus and S. pneumoniae in the development of
otitis media (OM) have been reported. This study examined the ability
of opaque or transparent S. pneumoniae from the same strain
in combination with an antecedent influenza A virus infection to
colonize the nasopharynx and invade the middle ear in the chinchilla
model. Our data indicated that there was no significant difference in the level of nasopharyngeal colonization and induction of OM between the opaque and transparent variants unless there was a prior challenge with influenza A virus. Subsequent to influenza A virus infection, there was a significant difference between the variants in the ability
to colonize and persist in the nasopharynx and middle ear. The
concentrations of the opaque variant in nasopharyngeal-lavage samples
and middle-ear fluid remained consistently higher than those of the
transparent variant for 10 days postinoculation. Data from this study
indicate that the effects of influenza A virus on the pathogenesis of
experimental S. pneumoniae-induced OM differ depending on
the opacity phenotype involved.
0019-9567/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/IAI.69.1.602-606.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Effect of Influenza A Virus Infection on Nasopharyngeal
Colonization and Otitis Media Induced by Transparent or Opaque
Phenotype Variants of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the
Chinchilla Model
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Division of
Otologic Research, College of Medicine and Public Health, The Ohio
State University, Room 4331 UHC, 456 W 10th Ave., Columbus, OH 43210. Phone: (614) 293-8103. Fax: (614) 293-5506. E-mail:
demaria.2{at}osu.edu.
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