Could proteomic research deliver the next generation of treatments for pneumococcal meningitis?
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial cause of community-acquired meningitis worldwide. Despite optimal antibiotic therapy and supportive care, the mortality of this condition remains very high at 20-30% in the developed world and over 60% in under-resourced hospitals. In developed countries, approximately half of the survivors suffer intellectual impairment, hearing loss, or other neurological damage. There is an urgent need for more information about the mechanisms of brain damage and death in pneumococcal meningitis so that new treatments can be designed. Using proteomic techniques and bioinformatics, the protein content of cerebrospinal fluid can be examined in great detail. Animal models have added greatly to our knowledge of possible mechanisms and shown that hippocampal apoptosis and cortical necrosis are distinct mechanisms of neuronal death. The contribution of these pathways to human disease is unknown. Using proteomic techniques, neuronal death pathways could
Related Questions
- Our research is about different ways to deliver patient treatments. Is an organisation doing this type of research considered eligible for the CBIG Program?
- What research is being conducted at the Institute, finding newer and better treatments, as well as ways of preventing cancer?
- What type of research is being done on cerebral palsy treatments and prevention?
