Canada-Wide Epidemic of emm74 Group A Streptococcus Invasive Disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The number of invasive group A Streptococcus (iGAS) infections due to hitherto extremely rare type emm74 strains has increased in several Canadian provinces since late 2015. We hypothesized that the cases recorded in the different provinces are linked and caused by strains of an emm74 clone that recently emerged and expanded explosively.

Methods

We analyzed both active and passive surveillance data for iGAS infections and used whole-genome sequencing to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of the emm74 strains responsible for these invasive infections country-wide.

Results

Genome analysis showed that highly clonal emm74 strains, genetically different from emm74 organisms previously circulating in Canada, were

SUBMITTER: Teatero S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5952926 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature