The role of co-colonization in pneumococcal ecology and evolution

Streptococcus pneumoniae (or pneumococcus) is a frequent colonizer of the nasopharynx and an important cause of infectious diseases, with a high rate of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly among young children, the elderly and the immunocompromised. Despite this high burden of morbidity and mortality, invasive pneumococcal disease is incidental. Nasopharyngeal colonization is the preferred lifestyle for the pneumococcus, its prevalence being particularly high among young children.(...