Journal article
Clonal basis for resurgence of serious Streptococcus pyogenes disease in the 1980s
The Lancet (British edition), Vol.339(8792), pp.518-521
1992
DOI: 10.1016/0140-6736(92)90339-5
PMID: 1346879
Abstract
During the 1980s there was a resurgence of serious
Streptococcus pyogenes infections with complications, including rheumatic fever, sepsis, severe soft-tissue invasion, and toxic-shock-like syndrome (TSLS). We have investigated the suggested association between expression of a scarlet fever toxin, SPE A, and systemic toxicity, and the possibility that a new highly virulent clone of
S pyogenes has emerged and spread world wide. We studied serotype M1 strains, the serotype most commonly associated with serious complications. 19 isolates from patients with sepsis, with or without TSLS, and 48 from patients with uncomplicated pharyngitis or superficial skin infection were subjected to restriction-enzyme digestion and electrophoresis; 56 isolates (19 serious, 37 uncomplicated disease) were then examined by hybridisation to an
speA gene probe. 17 (90%) of the 19 serious-disease isolates had a characteristic ("invasive", I) restriction-fragment profile and were positive for the
speA gene. Significantly lower proportions of the isolates from patients with uncomplicated disease had the I profile (21/48 [44%]; p=0·0035) and
speA (20/37 [54%]; p<0·001). These findings suggest that the strains from patients with serious disease are a unique clone, which became the predominant cause of severe streptococcal infections in the United States and elsewhere in the late 1980s.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Clonal basis for resurgence of serious Streptococcus pyogenes disease in the 1980s
- Creators
- P Patrick Cleary - Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, U.S.AEdward L Kaplan - World Health Organisation Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Streptococci, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, U.S.AJeffrey P Handley - Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, U.S.AAnthony Wlazlo - World Health Organisation Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Streptococci, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, U.S.AMichael H Kim - Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, U.S.AAlan R Hauser - Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, U.S.APatrick M Schlievert - Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, U.S.A
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Lancet (British edition), Vol.339(8792), pp.518-521
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- DOI
- 10.1016/0140-6736(92)90339-5
- PMID
- 1346879
- ISSN
- 0140-6736
- eISSN
- 1474-547X
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 1992
- Academic Unit
- Microbiology and Immunology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984002393302771
Metrics
11 Record Views