Group A streptococcal infections: trend and strain emm typing in an area of central Italy, 1985-2002.
A retrospective study of group A streptococcal (GAS) infections was performed for the period 1985-2002 in an area of central Italy. Although very severe diseases such as streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) were observed, a general increase in invasive infections was not found. Isolates of GAS were classified by M protein genotyping (emm typing) and analysed according to their origin from invasive and non-invasive infections. The predominant emm types were types 1, 4 and 12, followed by types 3, 6 and 28. During the study period the proportion of isolates of types 1 and 12 fell, while other types (3, 6, 22, 28 and 77) appeared. Isolates from invasive and non-invasive infections shared several emm types; however, most invasive strains belonged to five types only (types 1, 4, 12, 28 and 77), while non-invasive isolates were generally more heterogeneous.
Mencarelli
M
M
Clinic and Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. segmalinf@unisi.it
Corbisiero
R
R
Padula
M G
MG
Galgani
I
I
Stolzuoli
L
L
Cellesi
C
C
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007558:Italy; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D014774:Virulence
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C014689:streptococcal M protein