Streptococcus pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, is an important bacterial pathogen of humans that causes significant morbidity and mortality, especially at the extreme ages of life. Pneumococcal disease is a severe infection that can cause pneumonia, meningitis, or a bloodstream infection (bacteremia).

The WHO estimates that about 1.6 million people, of whom 1 million are children under 5 years of age, die each year from invasive pneumococcal disease, mostly in developing countries.

In 1999, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a method based on membrane immunochromatography (ICT) for the diagnosis of the urinary antigen, BinaxNOW S. pneumoniae. The BinaxNOW™ S. pneumoniae Antigen Card is a rapid test for the qualitative detection of S. pneumoniae antigen in the urine of patients with pneumonia and in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with meningitis. It is designed to aid, in conjunction with culture and other methods, in the diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia and pneumococcal meningitis.