title: Survey of emm gene sequences from pharyngeal Streptococcus pyogenes isolates collected in Spain and their relationship with erythromycin susceptibility.
abstract: We conducted a nationwide survey of the variable 5' emm (M protein gene) sequences from 614 pharyngeal Streptococcus pyogenes isolates susceptible (299 isolates) and resistant (315 isolates) to erythromycin that were isolated in Spain from 1996 to 1999. Almost 98% of these isolates had emm sequences in agreement with previously recorded M antigen association. We only identified a new 5' emm sequence in 17 isolates. Nine different emm types accounted for 85% of the S. pyogenes isolates susceptible to erythromycin. By contrast, only 3 emm types accounted for 70% of the erythromycin-resistant isolates. Further characterization of these isolates by ribotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis indicated that high frequency of erythromycin resistance in Spain is due to few clones.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Universitario Son Dureta, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. salberti@hsd.es
authors.forename: Sebastián
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Albertí
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Rey
authors.forename: María A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cercenado
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gobernado
authors.forename: Adela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Perea
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D021521:Ribotyping; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C014689:streptococcal M protein; D004917:Erythromycin