A5026179876- Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
- Respiratory viral infections research
- Influenza Virus Research Studies
- Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia detection and treatment
- Biosensors and Analytical Detection
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- Immunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders
- Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Immune responses and vaccinations
- Pediatric health and respiratory diseases
- Immune Response and Inflammation
- Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
- Respiratory and Cough-Related Research
- COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
- Asthma and respiratory diseases
- Emergency and Acute Care Studies
- Child and Adolescent Health
- Disaster Response and Management
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
- COVID-19 diagnosis using AI
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
2018-2024
Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
2020-2024
University of Liverpool
2018-2024
National Health Service
2020-2023
NIHR Clinical Research Network
2019-2023
Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital NHS Trust
2018-2020
National Institute for Health Research
2019-2020
Royal Liverpool University Hospital
2018-2020
Abstract PCR of upper respiratory specimens is the diagnostic standard for severe acute syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. However, saliva sampling an easy alternative to nasal and throat swabbing. We found similar viral loads in samples swab from 110 patients with disease.
BackgroundAlthough recent epidemiological data suggest that pneumococci may contribute to the risk of SARS-CoV-2 disease, cases coinfection with Streptococcus pneumoniae in patients coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during hospitalization have been reported infrequently. This apparent contradiction be explained by interactions severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and upper airway, resulting escape from protective host immune responses.MethodsHere, we investigated relationship...
Abstract Respiratory mucosal immunity induced by vaccination is vital for protection from coronavirus infection in animal models. In humans, the capacity of peripheral to generate sustained lung mucosa, and how this influenced prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, unknown. Here we show using bronchoalveolar lavage samples that donors with history both have more airway antibodies memory B cells than those only vaccinated. Infection also induces populations spike-specific CD4+ CD8+ T are not expanded...
Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is a common cause of respiratory infection, but also frequently colonizes the nasopharynx in absence disease. We used mass cytometry to study immune cells from nasal biopsy samples collected following experimental human pneumococcal challenge order identify immunological mechanisms control Spn colonization. Using 37 markers, we characterized 293 cell clusters, which 7 were associated with B and CD8+CD161+ T clusters significantly lower colonized than...
Rationale: Pneumococcal pneumonia remains a global health problem. Colonization of the nasopharynx with Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), although prerequisite infection, is main source exposure and immunological boosting in children adults. However, our knowledge how nasal colonization impacts on lung cells, especially predominant alveolar macrophage (AM) population, limited.Objectives: Using controlled human infection model to achieve 6B serotype, we investigated effect Spn cells.Methods: We...
Pneumococcal colonization is rarely studied in adults, except as part of family surveys. We report the outcomes screening healthy adults (all were nonsmokers without major comorbidities or contact with children aged <5 years) who had volunteered to take clinical research. Using nasal wash culture, we detected 6.5% volunteers (52 795). Serotype 3 was commonest serotype (10 52 isolates). The majority remaining serotypes (35 isolates) nonvaccine serotypes, but also identified persistent...
ABSTRACT Nasopharyngeal pneumococcal colonisation is a necessary step for disease development and the primary reservoir of bacterial spread transmission. Most epidemiological studies report impact co-infection with respiratory viruses upon rates outcome, but their effect on carriage acquisition load scarcely described. Here, we used controlled human infection pneumococcus to assess whether certain alter susceptibility density. A total 581 healthy adults were screened presence upper tract...
Widespread use of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines (PCV) has reduced vaccine-type nasopharyngeal colonisation and invasive pneumococcal disease. In a double-blind, randomised controlled trial using the Experimental Human Challenge (EHPC) model, PCV-13 (Prevenar-13) conferred 78% protection against acquisition bacterial intensity (AUC) as measured by classical culture. We used multiplex qPCR assay targeting lytA serotype 6A/B cpsA genes to re-assess status same volunteers. Increase in...
Rationale: Pneumococcal colonization is key to the pathogenesis of invasive disease but also immunogenic in young adults, protecting against recolonization. Colonization rarely detected older despite high rates pneumococcal disease.Objectives: To establish experimental human healthy adults aged 50-84 years, measure immune response challenge, and assess protective effect prior autologous strain rechallenge.Methods: Sixty-four participants were inoculated with Streptococcus pneumoniae...
Pneumococcal pneumonia remains a global health problem. colonization increases local and systemic protective immunity, suggesting that nasal administration of live attenuated
Abstract RT-qPCR utilising upper respiratory swabs are the diagnostic gold standard for SARS-CoV-2 despite reported low sensitivity and limited scale up due to global shortages. Saliva is a non-invasive, equipment independent alternative swabs. We collected 145 paired saliva nasal/throat (NT) at diagnosis (day 0) repeated on day 2 7 dependent inpatient care 28 study follow up. Laboratory cultured virus was used determine analytical of spiked containing amies preservation media....
There are an abundance of commercially available lateral flow assays (LFAs) that detect antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Whilst these usually evaluated by the manufacturer, externally performed diagnostic accuracy studies assess performance essential. Herein we present evaluation 12 LFAs.
Tuberculosis (TB) caused 1.5 million deaths in 2020, making it the leading infectious killer after COVID-19. Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is only licensed vaccine against TB but has sub-optimal efficacy pulmonary and reduced effectiveness regions close to equator with high burden. Efforts find novel vaccines are hampered due need for large-scale, prolonged, costly clinical trials. Controlled human infection models (CHIMs) may be used accelerate development by ensuring most promising...
Pneumococcal carriage in children has been extensively studied, but healthy adults and its relationship to invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is less understood.
Rationale:Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3 (SPN3) is a cause of invasive pneumococcal disease and associated with low carriage rates. Following the introduction pediatric 13-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV13) programs, SPN3 declines are less than other serotypes incidence has increased in some populations coincident shift predominant circulating clade, from I to II. A human challenge model provides an effective means for assessing impact PCV13 on upper airway. Objectives: To establish...
Introduction Since the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, disease rates have declined for many vaccine-type serotypes. However, serotype 3 (SPN3) continues to cause significant and is identified in colonisation epidemiological studies as one top circulating serotypes adults UK. Consequently, new vaccines that provide greater protection against SPN3 colonisation/carriage are urgently needed. The Experimental Human Pneumococcal Challenge (EHPC) model a unique method determining...
Nasopharyngeal colonisation by S. pneumoniae is a prerequisite for invasive pneumococcal infections. Influenza co-infection leads to increased susceptibility secondary pneumonia and mortality during influenza epidemics. Increased bacterial load impaired immune responses pneumococcus caused play role in this susceptibility. Using an Experimental Human Challenge Model vaccines, we examined symptoms experienced healthy adults nasal with live attenuated virus. Randomised, blinded administration...
<ns3:p><ns3:bold>Background: </ns3:bold>The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the reliance on antigen detection rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs). Their evaluation at point of use is a priority.</ns3:p><ns3:p> <ns3:bold>Methods: </ns3:bold>Here, we report multi-centre analytical sensitivity, specificity, and clinical accuracy Mologic COVID-19 Ag-RDT by comparing to reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) results from individuals with without...
Abstract The very young and old are at increased risk of serious infections, including pneumonia. This may relate to changes in the immune system as children have limited immunological memory, while immunosenescence, inflammaging a decreased pool naïve cells described with advanced age. How age mucosal surfaces, from where infections frequently develop, is not clear access human tissue samples limited. Therefore, we aimed assess composition activation state mucosa. Here, profiled nasal 207...
Abstract The widely used nasally-administered Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) alters the dynamics of naturally occurring nasopharyngeal carriage Streptococcus pneumoniae in animal models. Using a human experimental model (serotype 6B) we tested two hypotheses: 1) LAIV increased density S. those already colonised; 2) administration promoted colonisation. Randomised, blinded or nasal placebo either preceded bacterial inoculation followed it, separated by 3-day interval. presence and...
ABSTRACT Respiratory mucosal immunity induced by vaccination is vital for protection from coronavirus infection in animal models. In humans, SARS-CoV-2 has been studied extensively blood. However, the capacity of peripheral to generate sustained humoral and cellular lung mucosa, how this influenced prior infection, unknown. Bronchoalveolar lavage samples obtained vaccinated donors with or without revealed enrichment spike-specific antibodies, class-switched memory B cells T mucosa compared...
Abstract Colonization of the upper respiratory tract with Streptococcus pneumoniae is precursor pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive disease. Following exposure, however, it unclear which human immune mechanisms determine whether a pathogen will colonize. We used challenge model to investigate host-pathogen interactions in first hours days following intranasal exposure . Using novel home sampling method, we measured early responses bacterial density dynamics nose saliva after exposure. found...