title: Survey of phenotypic and genetic features of streptococcus pyogenes strains isolated in Northwest Italy.
abstract: Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus [GAS]) is an important pathogen whose virulence is related to the production of exotoxins and the presence of particular surface components. One hundred eighty-two GAS strains were collected in northwestern Italy between 1994 and 2002 and analyzed for phenotypic characteristics (opacity factor, proteolyic activity, and antimicrobial susceptibility) and by polymerase chain reaction for the presence of genes responsible for the production of exotoxins implicated in pathogenesis speA and speF and of prtF(1) (encoding fibronectin-binding protein F1). All strains were speF positive and 19.2% were speA positive and prtF(1) negative, whereas the prtF(1) gene was identified in 39.5% of the other strains. Of these, approximately half revealed the same pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern but differed in both speA gene and macrolide resistance.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Biologiche, Università di Torino, c/o Ospedale S. Luigi Gonzaga, Regione Gonzole, 10043 Orbassano (TO), Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Allice
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zucca
authors.forename: Dianella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Savoia
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005098:Exotoxins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C117980:SpeA protein, Streptococcus pyogenes; C027951:erythrogenic toxin; C078635:fibronectin-binding proteins, bacterial; C021908:opacity factor; C025651:CCCGGG-specific type II deoxyribonucleases; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases