title: The virulence factors of group A streptococcus strains isolated from invasive and non-invasive infections in Polish and German centres, 2009-2011.
abstract: Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS) is one of the major human pathogenic bacteria that cause a wide range of diseases. Currently, increased incidence of streptococcal invasive infections is observed worldwide. In this study, we focused on the prevalence of genes encoding superantigens and type M proteins in the population of GAS strains from invasive versus non-invasive infections. We tested 253 GAS strains: 48 strains from patients with invasive infections (18 from wound/deep skin localization, 30 from women in labour) and 205 strains from non-invasive forms (147 from common infections of the upper respiratory, 49 from the vagina of females with genital tract infections and 9 from non-invasive wound and superficial skin infections). Significant differences were found in the occurrence of genes: speG, speI, speJ and smeZ, which were more common in GAS isolated from invasive than from non-invasive strains; speJ and smeZ occurred more frequently in strains from invasive perinatal infections versus strains from women without symptoms of invasive infection; speH and speI in strains from invasive skin/wound infection versus strains isolated from non-invasive wound and superficial skin infections. Emm types 1 and 12 predominated in the group of strains isolated from superficial infections and type 28 in those from puerperal fever. Occurrence of genes encoding virulence factors is common in genomic DNA of most of S. pyogenes, regardless whether these streptococcal infections are invasive or non-invasive. On the other hand, it appears that strains with speG, speI, speJ and smeZ genes may have a particular potential for virulence.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 18 Czysta Str, 31-121, Kracow, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strus
authors.affiliation: Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 18 Czysta Str, 31-121, Kracow, Poland.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Heczko
authors.affiliation: Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 18 Czysta Str, 31-121, Kracow, Poland. edyta.golinska@uj.edu.pl.
authors.forename: E
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8612-8897
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Golińska
authors.affiliation: Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 18 Czysta Str, 31-121, Kracow, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomusiak
authors.affiliation: Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 18 Czysta Str, 31-121, Kracow, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chmielarczyk
authors.affiliation: Microbiological Laboratory, Diagnostics Inc. Krakow Branch, Na Skarpie 66 axis, 31-913, Kracow, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dorycka
authors.affiliation: National Reference Center for Streptococci, Department of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital (RWTH), Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van der Linden
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Clinical Center in Gdansk, 7 Debinki Str, 80-952, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samet
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Clinical Center in Gdansk, 7 Debinki Str, 80-952, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piórkowska
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D065288:Serogroup; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history / Q000382:microbiology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; C014689:streptococcal M protein
keywords: Invasive Infection; Puerperal Fever; Streptococcal Pyrogenic Exotoxin; Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome; Superficial Skin Infection