The present invention generally relates to the field of detecting and preventing infectious diseases caused by Enterococcus faecalis and/or Enterococcus faecium. More specifically, the invention relates to an Enterococcus faecalis and/or Enterococcus faecium antigen which comprises at least one unit having the following general formula:

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The present disclosure provides methods and kits for detecting Group A Streptococcus in biological samples. More particularly, the present disclosure provides methods for enhancing the specificity and sensitivity of Group A Streptococcus immunoassays by including N-propionyl-D-glucosamine, 2-N-butanoyl-D-glucosamide, Bis-(2-(D-2-deoxy-glucosaminyl))-PEG3-amide, m-PEG4-glucosamine, m-PEG6-glucosamine, or m-PEG10-glucosamine. The methods and kits disclosed herein are thus useful for reliable and early diagnosis of streptococcal infections in a subject.

The present invention is directed to particular monoclonal antibodies and fragments thereof that find use in the detection, prevention and treatment of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections. In particular, these antibodies may kill Streptococcus pneumoniae or limit the replication of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Also disclosed are improved methods for producing such monoclonal antibodies.

The instant invention provides various formulations comprising combinations of immunostimulating oligonucleotides, polycationic carriers, sterols, saponins, quaternary amines, TLR-3 agonists, glycolipids, and MPL-A or analogs thereof in oil emulsions, use thereof in preparations of immunogenic compositions and vaccines, and use thereof in the treatment of animals.

The present invention is directed to particular monoclonal antibodies and fragments thereof that find use in the detection, prevention and treatment of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections. In particular, these antibodies may kill Streptococcus pneumoniae or limit the replication of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Also disclosed are improved methods for producing such monoclonal antibodies.

Recurrent tonsillitis disease (RT) is a common indication for pediatric tonsillectomy, the most frequent childhood surgery. It is unknown why some children develop RT. The present disclosure demonstrates that RT tonsils exhibit significantly smaller germinal centers than non-RT tonsils, concomitant with a bias against Group A Streptococcus (GAS)-specific germinal center follicular helper CD4.sup.+ T cells (GC Tfh), and significantly reduced antibodies to the GAS virulence factor SpeA. The present disclosure also shows a significant immunogenetic component to this disease, with the identification of ‘at risk’ and ‘protective’ HLA alleles for RT. Finally, the present disclosure identifies a new cell type, granzyme B+GC Tfh cells, which are activated by SpeA, are significantly more abundant in RT GC Tfh cells, and have the capacity to kill B cells, thus, providing a window into the immunology and genetics of a classic childhood disease and identifies a new type of pathogenic T cell.

This invention provides a method and an immunochromatographic device that enable measurement with sufficient sensitivity by performing nitrous acid extraction over a sufficiently long period of time in an immunochromatographic method comprising extracting a sugar chain antigen with nitrous acid and measuring the extracted sugar chain antigen on an immunochromatographic test strip. Such immunochromatographic device comprises an immunochromatographic test strip for extracting and measuring a sugar chain antigen in a specimen and a cassette for accommodating the test strip, wherein the immunochromatographic test strip comprises a sample pad to which a specimen mixed with the nitrite or acid solution is added, a label region comprising a labeled antibody obtained by labeling an antibody against the sugar chain antigen, and a detection region on which the antibody against the sugar chain antigen is immobilized, an antibody-sugar chain antigen-labeled antibody complex is formed in the detection region to measure the sugar chain antigen, the immunochromatographic test strip has a region impregnated with a neutralizing reagent upstream of the label region and further has, upstream of the region impregnated with the neutralizing reagent, a region impregnated with a solid acid reagent when the specimen mixed with the nitrite is used or a region impregnated with the nitrite when the specimen mixed with the acid solution is used, and the immunochromatographic device comprises a specimen dropping port on top of a sample pad of the test strip. The immunochromatographic device has: (i) a wide specimen dropping port to promote sugar chain antigen extraction with a nitrite and a solid acid reagent by retaining the added specimen sample solution and supplying the specimen sample solution to the region impregnated with the solid acid reagent or the nitrite within a short period of time; and (ii) no gaps between the dropping port and the sample pad so as to prevent the sample from leaking from the dropping port.

The invention provides anti-CaENO1 antibodies and humanized antibodies as effective diagnostic agent or therapeutic treatment against infections caused by Candida spp. (preferably Candida. albicans, Candida tropicalis), fluconazole resistance Candida spp., Streptococcus, or Staphylococcus.

Disclosed herein is a method for identifying and treating a Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus, GAS) infection in a subject. The method mainly includes determining the presence of endopeptidase O (PepO) protein in the biological sample; and administering an effective amount of an anti-infective agent to the subject to ameliorate symptoms associated with the GAS infection if the PepO protein is present in the biological sample.

In some embodiments, the present invention is a device, including: a swab including an absorptive component attached to a stem, an extraction chamber configured to receive the swab and position the absorptive component of the swab configured to be in fluid communication with an extraction reagent, a test strip configured to be brought in fluid communication with the extraction reagent following extraction of the analyte from the biological sample, including: a sample receiving portion configured to accept a sample, a site on the strip where the analyte-specific labeled reagent has been incorporated, such reagent configured to bind the analyte from the biological sample, a capture portion configured to receive: the analyte from the biological sample and the analyte-specific labeled reagent so as to result in displaying a positive or negative result at the completion of the assay, and an adsorbent pad attached to the test strip.