About the Authors

Gaurav Kwatra

Affiliations Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation: Vaccine Preventable Diseases, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, MRC, Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Peter V. Adrian

adrianp@rmpru.co.za

Affiliations Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation: Vaccine Preventable Diseases, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, MRC, Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Tinevimbo Shiri

Affiliations Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation: Vaccine Preventable Diseases, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, MRC, Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Eckhart J. Buchmann

Affiliation Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Clare L. Cutland

Affiliations Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation: Vaccine Preventable Diseases, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, MRC, Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Shabir A. Madhi

Affiliations Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation: Vaccine Preventable Diseases, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, MRC, Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, National Institute for Communicable Diseases: a division of National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa

Competing Interests

RMPRU Laboratory has received partial funding for this study from a commercial source (Novartis Vaccines). However, Novartis vaccines did not play any role in the design of the study, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Further, this does not alter the authors’ adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: GK PVA EJB CLC SAM. Performed the experiments: GK PVA. Analyzed the data: GK PVA TS. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: TS CLC. Wrote the paper: GK PVA EJB CLC SAM.