Abstract: Mucosal administration, particularly intranasally, of killed whole pneumococci, lysate of pneumococci and isolated and purified PspA, as well as immunogenic fragments thereof, particularly when administered with cholera toxin B subunit, provides protection in animals against pneumococcal colonization and systemic infection. The ability to elicit protection against pneumococcal colonization in a host prevents carriage among immunized individuals, which can lead to elimination of disease from the population as a whole.

Abstract: The present invention provides chimeric proteins such as Salivary Binding Protein (SBR) coupled to the B subunit of cholera toxin. Such a chimeric protein, when expressed in attenuated Salmonella typhymurium produces significant increases in serum IgG and salivary IgA antibody levels after oral immunization. In another embodiment of the present invention, the recombinant plasmid contains a salivary binding protein-cholera toxin A2/B chimeric protein expressed in E. coli. Intragastric immunization of SBR coupled to CTB in this chimeric protein form leads to increased antigen responsive T cells. In another embodiment of the present invention, the recombinant plasmid contains a salivary binding protein-cholera toxin.sup..DELTA.A1 chimeric protein expressed in Salmonella typhimurium. Oral immunization using this recombinant plasmid results in increased serum IgG responses to antigen. Oral immunization using this recombinant plasmid also resulted in increased salivary IgA antibody responses to antigen.

Abstract: Mucosal administration, particularly intranasally, of killed whole pneumococci, lysate of pneumococci and isolated and purified PspA, as well as immunogenic fragments thereof, particularly when administered with cholera toxin B subunit, provides protection in animals against pneumococcal colonization and systemic infection. The ability to elicit protection against pneumococcal colonization in a host prevents carriage among immunized individuals, which can lead to elimination of disease from the population as a whole.

Abstract: A region of the PspA protein of the Rx1 strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae has been identified as containing protection-eliciting epitopes which are cross-reactive with PspAs of other S. pneumoniae strains and which is cross-protective. The region comprises the 68-amino acid sequence extending from amino acid residues 192 to 260 of the Rx1 PspA strain.