Prevalence of Complement-Mediated Cell Lysis-like Gene (sicG) in Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis Isolates From Japan (2014-2016)

• Published in: Annals of laboratory medicine 2017, 37(4), , pp.297-304
• Main Authors: Takahashi, Takashi, Fujita, Tomohiro, Shibayama, Akiyoshi, Tsuyuki, Yuzo, Yoshida, Haruno
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Base Sequence; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; DNA, Bacterial - isolation & purification; DNA, Bacterial - metabolism; Dogs; Genotype; Humans; Japan - epidemiology; Original; Prevalence; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - chemistry; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - metabolism; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Soft Tissue Infections - epidemiology; Soft Tissue Infections - microbiology; Streptococcal Infections - epidemiology; Streptococcal Infections - microbiology; Streptococcus - drug effects; Streptococcus - genetics; Streptococcus - isolation & purification; 병리학
• ISSN: 2234-3806; 2234-3814
• DOI: 10.3343/alm.2017.37.4.297

Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE; a β-hemolytic streptococcus of human or animal origin) infections are emerging worldwide. We evaluated the clonal distribution of complement-mediated cell lysis-like gene (sicG) among SDSE isolates from three central prefectures of Japan. Group G/C β-hemolytic streptococci were collected from three institutions from April 2014 to March 2016. Fifty-five strains (52 from humans and three from animals) were identified as SDSE on the basis of 16S rRNA sequencing data.; they were obtained from 25 sterile (blood, joint fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid) and 30 non-sterile (skin-, respiratory tract-, and genitourinary tract-origin) samples. emm genotyping, multilocus sequence typing, sicG amplification/sequencing, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of sicG-positive strains were performed. sicG was detected in 30.9% of the isolates (16 human and one canine) and the genes from the 16 human samples (blood, 10; open pus, 3; sputum, 2; throat swab, 1) and one canine sample (open pus) showed the same sequence pattern. All sicG-harboring isolates belonged to clonal complex (CC) 17, and the most prevalent emm type was stG6792 (82.4%). There was a significant association between sicG presence and the development of skin/soft tissue infections. CC17 isolates with sicG could be divided into three subtypes by RAPD analysis. CC17 SDSE harboring sicG might have spread into three closely-related prefectures in central Japan during 2014-2016. Clonal analysis of isolates from other areas might be needed to monitor potentially virulent strains in humans and animals.