title: Molecular characterisation and clonal analysis of group A streptococci causing pharyngitis among paediatric patients in Palermo, Italy.
abstract: Group A streptococci (n = 123), isolated consecutively from paediatric patients with pharyngitis from Palermo, Italy, were analysed. The emm and sof genes were sequenced, the presence of the speA and speC genes was investigated, and the macrolide resistance phenotypes and genotypes were determined. A limited number of emm/sof genotypes was found, and the most prevalent types were different from those found in a previous study from Rome. Macrolide resistance was found in the most prevalent clones, suggesting that the spread of mobile antibiotic resistance genes among the fittest clones in the community was the main mechanism influencing macrolide resistance rates in different emm types.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica G. Sanarelli, Università La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lorino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gherardi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Angeletti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Cesaris
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Graziano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maringhini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Merlino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Bernardo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dicuonzo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D018942:Macrolides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005098:Exotoxins; D018942:Macrolides; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C117980:SpeA protein, Streptococcus pyogenes; C027951:erythrogenic toxin; C021908:opacity factor; C014689:streptococcal M protein; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases