TY - JOUR AU - Wajima, Takeaki AU - Morozumi, Miyuki AU - Hanada, Shigeo AU - Sunaoshi, Katsuhiko AU - Chiba, Naoko AU - Iwata, Satoshi AU - Ubukata, Kimiko T1 - Molecular Characterization of Invasive Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis, Japan T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2016 VL - 22 IS - 2 SP - 247 SN - 1080-6059 AB - We collected β-hemolytic streptococci (1,611 isolates) from patients with invasive streptococcal infections in Japan during April 2010–March 2013. Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE) was most common (n = 693); 99% of patients with SDSE infections were elderly (mean age 75 years, SD ±15 years). We aimed to clarify molecular and epidemiologic characteristics of SDSE isolates and features of patient infections. Bacteremia with no identified focus of origin and cellulitis were the most prevalent manifestations; otherwise, clinical manifestations resembled those of S. pyogenes infections. Clinical manifestations also differed by patient’s age. SDSE isolates were classified into 34 emm types; stG6792 was most prevalent (27.1%), followed by stG485 and stG245. Mortality rates did not differ according to emm types. Multilocus sequence typing identified 46 sequence types and 12 novel types. Types possessing macrolide- and quinolone-resistance genes were 18.4% and 2.6%, respectively; none showed β-lactam resistance. Among aging populations, invasive SDSE infections are an increasing risk. KW - Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis KW - emm type KW - multilocus sequence typing KW - bacteria KW - Japan KW - streptococci DO - 10.3201/eid2202.141732 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22/2/14-1732_article ER - End of Reference