Genetic Correlates of Throat and Skin Isolates of Group A Streptococci

The existence of discrete populations of throat and skin strains of group A streptococci has long been recognized; however, a molecular basis for this distinction is not known. The emm gene structure was analyzed for 105 isolates obtained from patients with well-defined group A streptococcal disease...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of infectious diseases 1996-04, Vol.173 (4), p.896-900
Main Authors: Bessen, Debra E., Sotir, Christine M., Readdy, Terri L., Hollingshead, Susan K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacterial diseases
Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins - genetics
Biological and medical sciences
DNA, Bacterial - genetics
Epidemiology
Genes
Genes, Bacterial
Genotype
Human bacterial diseases
Human genetics
Humans
Impetigo
Impetigo - microbiology
Infections
Infectious diseases
Lesions
Major Articles
Medical genetics
Medical sciences
Pharyngeal diseases
Pharyngitis
Pharynx - microbiology
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic Fever - microbiology
Skin Diseases - microbiology
Staphylococcal infections, streptococcal infections, pneumococcal infections
Streptococcal Infections - microbiology
Streptococcus pyogenes
Streptococcus pyogenes - genetics
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Summary:The existence of discrete populations of throat and skin strains of group A streptococci has long been recognized; however, a molecular basis for this distinction is not known. The emm gene structure was analyzed for 105 isolates obtained from patients with well-defined group A streptococcal diseases: uncomplicated pharyngitis, impetigo, and acute rheumatic fever. Four emm gene subfamily forms, defined by nucleotide sequence differences in regions encoding the peptidoglycanspanning domain of M and M-like surface proteins, were found to exist in five different chromosomal patterns among naturally occurring isolates. Strong correlations were made between disease and the number and arrangement of emm subfamily genes. These findings provide a genetic basis for the historical references to “throat,” “skin,” and “rheumatogenic” types.
ISSN:0022-1899
1537-6613
DOI:10.1093/infdis/173.4.896