Abstract: The present invention includes methods for treating and/or immunizing against Haemophilus influenzae, including nontypeable H. influenzae (NTHi). The methods comprise administering a composition comprising H. influenzae proteins OppA and/or LapB.

Abstract: The present invention includes methods for treating and/or immunizing against Haemophilus influenzae, including nontypeable H. influenzae (NTHi). The methods comprise administering a composition comprising H. influenzae proteins OppA and/or LapB.

Abstract: The present invention discloses novel signaling pathways controlling the pathogenesis of the human respiratory bacterium, Haemophilus influenzae. The lipooligosaccharide-phosphorylycholine (LOS-PC) cell surface epitope of H. influenzae enhances pathogenesis but also increases bacterial susceptibility to innate and adaptive immunity and the administration of therapeutic compounds. Modulation of the LOS-PC epitope may be affected by an interaction between environmental conditions (i.e., for example, oxygen tension) and genetic regulation of precursor biosynthetic pathway activity. LOS-PC epitope display increases under microaerobic conditions and decreases under aerobic conditions. This is consisent with a bacteria's propensity to initiate pathogensis under low oxygen conditions. Pathogenesis may be prevented by disrupting the role of the putative H. influenzae homologue of CsrA, that downregulates galU expression. Disrupting CsrA repression of galU expression resulted in increased LOS-PC epitope display.