Absence of an important vaccine and diagnostic target in carriage- and disease-related nontypeable haemophilus influenzae

Abstract

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi)-associated disease is a major health problem globally. Whole-genome sequence analysis identified the absence of hpd genes encoding Haemophilus protein D in 3 of 16 phylogenetically distinct NTHi isolates. This novel finding is of potential clinical significance, as protein D and hpd represent important NTHi vaccine antigen and diagnostic targets, respectively. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.