Analysis of a viridans group strain reveals a case of bacteremia due to lancefield group G alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp equisimilis in a patient with pyomyositis and reactive arthritis.
Streptococcus dysgalactiae is classified by a combination of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics into Lancefield group C alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae and Lancefield group C, group G, and group L beta-hemolytic Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis. In this study, we report the isolation of a catalase-negative, alpha-hemolytic, optochin- and bacitracin-resistant viridans group strain, which does not grow in 10 or 40% bile, on MacConkey agar or bile esculin agar, or in 6% NaCl, from the blood culture of a 73-year-old woman with pyomyositis and poststreptococcal reactive arthritis. Lancefield grouping revealed that the strain was a group G streptococcus. The Vitek system (GPI) showed that it was unidentified, and the API system (20 STREP) showed that it was 95.7% S. dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that it was a strain of S. dysgalactiae. Based on phylogenetic affiliation with 16S rRNA gene or GroEL amino acid (another bacterial gene, in addition to 16S rRNA gene, that is highly conserved) sequences, the strain is most closely related to Lancefield group C beta-hemolytic S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis. PCR amplification and sequencing of the streptolysin S structural gene (sagA) and M protein gene (emm) hypervariable region showed the presence of these suspected primary virulence factors. Further studies would delineate whether the isolate is just a hemolysin-deficient variant of group G beta-hemolytic S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis or a novel type of S. dysgalactiae. The present case showed that group G alpha-hemolytic S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis can be associated with serious invasive infection and poststreptococcal sequelae.
Woo
Patrick C Y
PC
Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Teng
Jade L L
JL
Lau
Susanna K P
SK
Lum
Peggy N L
PN
Leung
Kit-Wah
KW
Wong
Kee-Lam
KL
Li
Kin-Wah
KW
Lam
Kui-Chun
KC
Yuen
Kwok-Yung
KY
D000368:Aged; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D016918:Arthritis, Reactive / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018833:Chaperonins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005260:Female; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C028715:GroE protein, E coli; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; C014689:streptococcal M protein; D018833:Chaperonins