Abstract: A polypeptide suitable for use in vaccination against Streptococcal infections comprises: a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 1; b) a variant of (a) which is capable of binding an anti-MtsA antibody; or (c) a fragment of (a) or (b) of at least 6 amino acids in length which is capable of binding an anti-MtsA antibody. A vaccine composition comprises: a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 1; b) a variant of (a) which is capable of generating an immune response to a Streptococcus; or (c) a fragment of (a) or (b) of at least 6 amino acids in length which is capable of generating an immune response against a Streptococcus.

Abstract: A polypeptide suitable for use in vaccination against Streptococcal infections comprises: a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No 1; b) a variant of (a) which is capable of binding an anti-MtsA antibody; or (c) a fragment of (a) or (b) of at least 6 amino acids in length which is capable of binding an anti-MtsA antibody. A vaccine composition comprises: a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No 1; b) a variant of (a) which is capable of generating an immune response to a Streptococcal; or (c) a fragment of (a) or (b) of at least 6 amino acids in length which is capable of generating an immune response against a Streptococcus.

Abstract: The present invention provides proteins and peptides derived from Streptococcus pneuminiae, type 3, which all the complement factor H (fH). These proteins and peptides show a homology of at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, and most preferably at least 70% with the subsequence from Thr38 to Lys 149 of the sequence disclosed herein as SEQ ID NO: 1. The above subsequence, which is located in the amino-terminal of a surface protein isolated from Streptococcus Pneuminiae, type 3, is highly associated with binding of fH. In another aspect, the invention relates to proteins and peptides showing a homology of at least 85%, preferably at least 95%, and most preferably at least 99% with the Hic protein, the amino acid sequence of which is disclosed is SEQ ID NO: 1. The invention also provides vaccine compositions comprising the above proteins and peptides.