Abstract

Streptococcus pneumonia is a major worldwide causative agent of morbidity and mortality among young children, adults and old patients. The ability of pneumococci to cause disease is directly related to its capsule which is a major virulence factor of pneumococcal pneumonia. The aim of the present study was to characterize epidemiologically important Pneumococcus by using two molecular typing. A total of 266 pneumococci isolates from cerebral spinal fluid, nosopharengile aspirate, pleural fluid from children, adults and old patients were donated by Al-Karj hospital, Riyadh Saudi Arabia were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and light cycler with specific primers. Our study indicated the presence of frequent strains (6A and 19A). These new strains are not included in (11-Valent conjugate vaccine) component which is being used as a vaccine in Saudi Arabia. Since the capsular components of these new serotypes do not include this vaccine, we propose the addition of these invasive serotype capsular components to the current (11-Valent conjugate Vaccine) which is being used in Saudi Arabia.

Key words: Pneumococci, capsular typing, invasive serogroups, multiplex PCR.