title: Epidemiology Analysis of Streptococcus pyogenes in a Hospital in Southern Taiwan by Use of the Updated emm Cluster Typing System.
abstract: emm typing is the most widely used molecular typing method for the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus [GAS]). emm typing is based on a small variable region of the emm gene; however, the emm cluster typing system defines GAS types according to the nearly complete sequence of the emm gene. Therefore, emm cluster typing is considered to provide more information regarding the functional and structural properties of M proteins in different emm types of GAS. In the present study, 677 isolates collected between 1994 and 2008 in a hospital in southern Taiwan were analyzed by the emm cluster typing system. emm clusters A-C4, E1, E6, and A-C3 were the most prevalent emm cluster types and accounted for 67.4% of total isolates. emm clusters A-C4 and E1 were associated with noninvasive diseases, whereas E6 was significantly associated with both invasive and noninvasive manifestations. In addition, emm clusters D4, E2, and E3 were significantly associated with invasive manifestations. Furthermore, we found that the functional properties of M protein, including low fibrinogen-binding and high IgG-binding activities, were correlated significantly with invasive manifestations. In summary, the present study provides updated epidemiological information on GAS emm cluster types in southern Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0753-035X
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chiang-Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Xing
authors.initials: PX
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Ying
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pei-Jane
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Woei-Jer
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yee-Shin
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan jjwu@mail.ncku.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Jiunn-Jong
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology / Q000379:methods; D058889:Molecular Typing / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D011485:Protein Binding; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014774:Virulence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C014689:streptococcal M protein; D005340:Fibrinogen