title: Typing of macrolide resistant group A streptococci by random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several studies of group A streptococci (GAS) have revealed that a small number of dominant resistant clones might be responsible for the spread of Streptococcus (S.) pyogenes resistance to macrolides. We aimed to determine the genetic diversity of macrolide resistant group A streptococci (MRGAS), isolated from patients with pharyngitis in Serbia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clonal relationships among 76 MRGAS isolates collected during 2008 were studied using two molecular typing methods: emm typing and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Isolates that share the same emm type and RAPD pattern were considered to belong to the same clone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 7 distinct emm types identified, the 3 most frequently occurring overall were emm12, emm75 and emm77 (> 90% of isolates). Although as many as 26 different RAPD patterns were found among the isolates studied, two clones with emm12 and emm77 accounted 32 out of 76 (42%) isolates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate a polyclonal spread of erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes in our country. Furthermore, predominance of two clones, particularly among emm12 and emm77 strains indicates that erythromycin-resistant GAS of the same clonal origin are widely distributed in Serbia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. ina.gajic@med.bg.ac.rs.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gajic
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mijac
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanojevic
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ranin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smitran
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Opavski
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D018942:Macrolides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D011897:Random Allocation; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique / Q000379:methods*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D018942:Macrolides; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C036112:streptococcal polysaccharide group A