The Journal of infectious diseases
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Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequently isolated pathogen responsible for community-acquired pneumonia. Osteopontin is involved in inflammation during both innate and adaptive immunity. ⋯ These results suggest that the pneumococcus misuses osteopontin in the airways for optimal growth and to cause invasive disease after entering the lower airways.
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BCG, the only licensed tuberculosis vaccine, affords poor protection against lung tuberculosis in infants and children. A new tuberculosis vaccine, which may enhance the BCG-induced immune response, is urgently needed. We assessed the safety of and characterized the T cell response induced by 3 doses of the candidate vaccine, MVA85A, in BCG-vaccinated infants from a setting where tuberculosis is endemic. ⋯ MVA85A was safe and induced robust, polyfunctional, durable CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses in infants. These data support efficacy evaluation of MVA85A to prevent tuberculosis in infancy. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT00679159.
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Nonspecific T-cell hyperactivation is the main driving force for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 disease progression, but the reasons why the excess immune response is not properly shut off are poorly defined. ⋯ HIV-1 infection potentially impairs BTLA-mediated signaling dependent on pDC-derived IFN-α, which may contribute to broad T-cell hyperactivation induced by chronic HIV-1 infection.