Answer
polysaccharide capsule
Work Step by Step
Streptococcus pneumonia or pneumococci is a bacteria that is responsible for causing pneumonia, bacteremia and meningitis. One of its virulence factors is a polysaccharide capsule. The function of the capsule is to prevent phagocytosis of the bacteria by the immune cells . Another virulence factor is pnuemolysin (pore forming toxin) that prevents lymphocyte proliferation and antibody synthesis.
