Epidemiological analysis of non-M-typeable group A Streptococcus isolates from a Thai population in northern Thailand.

ABSTRACT: Infection with group A streptococci (GAS) can lead to the development of severe postinfectious sequelae such as rheumatic fever (RF). In Thailand, RF and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remain important health problems. More than 80% of GAS circulating in this population are non-M antigen typeable by conventional M serotyping methods. In this study, we determine the M protein sequence types of GAS isolates found in northern Thailand. The emm genes from 53 GAS isolates, collected between 1985 and 1995 from individuals with pharyngitis, impetigo, acute RF (ARF), RHD, or meningitis as well as from individuals without infections, were amplified by PCR and sequenced. Thirteen new sequence types that did not show homology to previously published sequences were characterized. Six of these sequence

SUBMITTER: Pruksakorn S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC86390 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature