Pneumococcal colonisation is an asymptomatic event in healthy adults using an experimental human colonisation model.

Introduction: Pneumococcal colonisation is regarded as a pre-requisite for developing pneumococcal disease. In children previous studies have reported pneumococcal colonisation to be a symptomatic event and described a relationship between symptom severity/frequency and colonisation density. The evidence for this in adults is lacking in the literature.

Longevity of duodenal and peripheral T-cell and humoral responses to live-attenuated Salmonella Typhi strain Ty21a.

Background: We have previously demonstrated that polyfunctional Ty21a-responsive CD4 and CD8 T cells are generated at the duodenal mucosa 18 days following vaccination with live-attenuated S. Typhi (Ty21a). The longevity of cellular responses has been assessed in peripheral blood, but persistence of duodenal responses is unknown.

Pneumococcal Colonization Rates in Patients Admitted to a United Kingdom Hospital with Lower Respiratory Tract Infection: a Prospective Case-Control Study.

Current diagnostic tests are ineffective for identifying the etiological pathogen in hospitalized adults with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). The association of pneumococcal colonization with disease has been suggested as a means to increase the diagnostic precision. We compared the pneumococcal colonization rates and the densities of nasal pneumococcal colonization by (i) classical culture and (ii) quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) targetinglytAin patients with LRTIs admitted to a hospital in the United Kingdom and control patients.

First human challenge testing of a pneumococcal vaccine. Double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Rationale: New vaccines are urgently needed to protect the vulnerable from bacterial pneumonia. Clinical trials of pneumonia vaccines are slow and costly, requiring tens of thousands of patients. Studies of pneumococcal vaccine efficacy against colonization have been proposed as a novel method to down-select between vaccine candidates.

Feasibility study for early supported discharge in adults with respiratory infection in the UK.

Background: Many patients with pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infection that could be treated as outpatients according to their clinical severity score, are in fact admitted to hospital. We investigated whether, with medical and social input, these patients could be discharged early and treated at home.

Objectives: (1) To assess the feasibility of providing an early supported discharge scheme for patients with pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infection (2) To assess the patient acceptability of a study comprising of randomisation to standard hospital care or early supported discharge scheme.