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Smeesters PR, de Crombrugghe G, Tsoi SK, Leclercq C, Baker C, Osowicki J, Verhoeven C, Botteaux A, Steer AC. Global Streptococcus pyogenes strain diversity, disease associations, and implications for vaccine development: a systematic review. THE LANCET. MICROBE 2024; 5:e181-e193. [PMID: 38070538 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(23)00318-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The high strain diversity of Streptococcus pyogenes serves as a major obstacle to vaccine development against this leading global pathogen. We did a systematic review of studies in PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase that reported the global distribution of S pyogenes emm-types and emm-clusters from Jan 1, 1990, to Feb 23, 2023. 212 datasets were included from 55 countries, encompassing 74 468 bacterial isolates belonging to 211 emm-types. Globally, an inverse correlation was observed between strain diversity and the UNDP Human Development Index (HDI; r=-0·72; p<0·0001), which remained consistent upon subanalysis by global region and site of infection. Greater strain diversity was associated with a lower HDI, suggesting the role of social determinants in diseases caused by S pyogenes. We used a population-weighted analysis to adjust for the disproportionate number of epidemiological studies from high-income countries and identified 15 key representative isolates as vaccine targets. Strong strain type associations were observed between the site of infection (invasive, skin, and throat) and several streptococcal lineages. In conclusion, the development of a truly global vaccine to reduce the immense burden of diseases caused by S pyogenes should consider the multidimensional diversity of the pathogen, including its social and environmental context, and not merely its geographical distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre R Smeesters
- Department of Paediatrics, Brussels University Hospital, Academic Children Hospital Queen Fabiola, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory, European Plotkin Institute for Vaccinology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; Tropical Diseases Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Gabrielle de Crombrugghe
- Department of Paediatrics, Brussels University Hospital, Academic Children Hospital Queen Fabiola, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory, European Plotkin Institute for Vaccinology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Shu Ki Tsoi
- Tropical Diseases Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Infectious Diseases Unit, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Céline Leclercq
- Department of Paediatrics, Brussels University Hospital, Academic Children Hospital Queen Fabiola, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ciara Baker
- Tropical Diseases Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Joshua Osowicki
- Tropical Diseases Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Infectious Diseases Unit, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Caroline Verhoeven
- Laboratoire d'enseignement des Mathématiques, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Anne Botteaux
- Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory, European Plotkin Institute for Vaccinology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Andrew C Steer
- Tropical Diseases Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Infectious Diseases Unit, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Sokou R, Filippatos F, Daniil V, Bikouli ED, Tsantes AG, Piovani D, Bonovas S, Iliodromiti Z, Boutsikou T, Tsantes AE, Iacovidou N, Konstantinidi A. Group A Streptococcus Infection in Neonatal Population: A Systematic Review of The Literature. J Clin Med 2023; 12:6974. [PMID: 38002589 PMCID: PMC10672068 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12226974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The importance of group A streptococcus (GAS) infection severity has been recognized in children and adults. However, to our knowledge, there have been no systematic reviews or pooled assessments of the incidence and outcome of invasive GAS (iGAS) disease in neonates, a potentially high-risk population. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of available data regarding the risk factors, clinical presentation, and outcome of GAS infection in neonates. (2) Methods: An electronic search of the existing literature was carried out during the period July 2023-September 2023 in the PubMed and Scopus databases, considering studies referring to GAS infection in the neonatal population. (3) Results: Overall, 39 studies met all the inclusion criteria and were included in this review, evaluating data from 194 neonates. Unfortunately, there were a lot of missing data among the retrieved studies. Our systematic review highlighted the presence of differences with regards to clinical presentation, infection sites, and outcome of GAS invasive disease between neonates with early-onset (EOS) or late-onset sepsis (LOS). Common characteristics of EOS included respiratory distress, rapid deterioration, and high mortality rate irrespective of the infection site, while rash, gastrointestinal tract symptoms, and fever appeared to be the most frequent symptoms/clinical signs and manifestations of LOS disease. The management of severe invasive iGAS disease consists mainly of specific antimicrobial treatment as well as supportive care with fluids and electrolyte supplementation, minimizing or counteracting the effects of toxins. Furthermore, a mortality rate of approximately 14% was recorded for iGAS disease in the total of all studies' neonates. (4) Conclusions: Although iGAS is a rare entity of neonatal infections, the potential severity of the disease and the rapid deterioration requires the development of quick analysis methods for the detection of GAS allowing the prompt diagnosis and administration of the indicated antibiotic treatment. Furthermore, given the exceptional risk for both the pregnant woman and the neonate, it is very important to raise awareness and create easily accessible guidelines that could facilitate the prevention and management of maternal as well as the subsequent neonatal severe iGAS disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rozeta Sokou
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, “Agios Panteleimon” General Hospital of Nikea, 18454 Piraeus, Greece; (E.-D.B.); (A.K.)
- Neonatal Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece; (F.F.); (V.D.); (Z.I.); (T.B.); (N.I.)
| | - Filippos Filippatos
- Neonatal Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece; (F.F.); (V.D.); (Z.I.); (T.B.); (N.I.)
| | - Vasiliki Daniil
- Neonatal Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece; (F.F.); (V.D.); (Z.I.); (T.B.); (N.I.)
| | - Efstathia-Danai Bikouli
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, “Agios Panteleimon” General Hospital of Nikea, 18454 Piraeus, Greece; (E.-D.B.); (A.K.)
| | - Andreas G. Tsantes
- Microbiology Department, “Saint Savvas” Oncology Hospital, 11522 Athens, Greece;
| | - Daniele Piovani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, 20090 Milan, Italy; (D.P.); (S.B.)
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Stefanos Bonovas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, 20090 Milan, Italy; (D.P.); (S.B.)
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Zoi Iliodromiti
- Neonatal Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece; (F.F.); (V.D.); (Z.I.); (T.B.); (N.I.)
| | - Theodora Boutsikou
- Neonatal Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece; (F.F.); (V.D.); (Z.I.); (T.B.); (N.I.)
| | - Argirios E. Tsantes
- Laboratory of Haematology and Blood Bank Unit, “Attiko” Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece;
| | - Nicoletta Iacovidou
- Neonatal Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece; (F.F.); (V.D.); (Z.I.); (T.B.); (N.I.)
| | - Aikaterini Konstantinidi
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, “Agios Panteleimon” General Hospital of Nikea, 18454 Piraeus, Greece; (E.-D.B.); (A.K.)
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Turner J, Muraoka A, Bedenbaugh M, Childress B, Pernot L, Wiencek M, Peterson YK. The Chemical Relationship Among Beta-Lactam Antibiotics and Potential Impacts on Reactivity and Decomposition. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:807955. [PMID: 35401470 PMCID: PMC8988990 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.807955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Beta-lactam antibiotics remain one of the most commonly prescribed drug classes, but they are limited by their propensity to cause hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., from allergy to anaphylaxis) as well as by the emergence of bacteria with a myriad of resistance mechanisms such as β-lactamases. While development efforts continue to focus on overcoming resistance, there are ongoing concerns regarding cross-contamination of β-lactams during manufacturing and compounding of these drugs. Additionally, there is a need to reduce levels of drugs such as β-lactam antibiotics in waste-water to mitigate the risk of environmental exposure. To help address future development of effective remediation chemistries and processes, it is desired to better understand the structural relationship among the most common β-lactams. This study includes the creation of a class-wide structural ordering of the entire β-lactam series, including both United States Food and Drug Association (US-FDA)-approved drugs and experimental therapies. The result is a structural relational map: the "Lactamome," which positions each substance according to architecture and chemical end-group. We utilized a novel method to compare the structural relationships of β-lactam antibiotics among the radial cladogram and describe the positioning with respect to efficacy, resistance to hydrolysis, reported hypersensitivity, and Woodward height. The resulting classification scheme may help with the development of broad-spectrum treatments that reduce the risk of occupational exposure and negative environmental impacts, assist practitioners with avoiding adverse patient reactions, and help direct future drug research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Turner
- College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
- College of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Alyssa Muraoka
- College of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | | | - Blaine Childress
- South Carolina Research Authority, Greenville, SC, United States
| | | | | | - Yuri K. Peterson
- College of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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Arakawa S, Kasai M, Kawai S, Sakata H, Mayumi T. The JAID/JSC guidelines for management of infectious diseases 2017 - Sepsis and catheter-related bloodstream infection. J Infect Chemother 2021; 27:657-677. [PMID: 33558043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2019.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Masashi Kasai
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children's Hospital, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Shin Kawai
- The Department of General Medicine, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sakata
- Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Kosei Hospital, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Mayumi
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine,University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka, Japan
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Assessing the Role of Pharyngeal Cell Surface Glycans in Group A Streptococcus Biofilm Formation. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9110775. [PMID: 33158121 PMCID: PMC7694240 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9110775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes 700 million infections and accounts for half a million deaths per year. Antibiotic treatment failure rates of 20–40% have been observed. The role host cell glycans play in GAS biofilm formation in the context of GAS pharyngitis and subsequent antibiotic treatment failure has not been previously investigated. GAS serotype M12 GAS biofilms were assessed for biofilm formation on Detroit 562 pharyngeal cell monolayers following enzymatic removal of all N-linked glycans from pharyngeal cells with PNGase F. Removal of N-linked glycans resulted in an increase in biofilm biomass compared to untreated controls. Further investigation into the removal of terminal mannose and sialic acid residues with α1-6 mannosidase and the broad specificity sialidase (Sialidase A) also found that biofilm biomass increased significantly when compared to untreated controls. Increases in biofilm biomass were associated with increased production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Furthermore, it was found that M12 GAS biofilms grown on untreated pharyngeal monolayers exhibited a 2500-fold increase in penicillin tolerance compared to planktonic GAS. Pre-treatment of monolayers with exoglycosidases resulted in a further doubling of penicillin tolerance in resultant biofilms. Lastly, an additional eight GAS emm-types were assessed for biofilm formation in response to terminal mannose and sialic acid residue removal. As seen for M12, biofilm biomass on monolayers increased following removal of terminal mannose and sialic acid residues. Collectively, these data demonstrate that pharyngeal cell surface glycan structures directly impact GAS biofilm formation in a strain and glycan specific fashion.
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Reduced In Vitro Susceptibility of Streptococcus pyogenes to β-Lactam Antibiotics Associated with Mutations in the pbp2x Gene Is Geographically Widespread. J Clin Microbiol 2020; 58:JCM.01993-19. [PMID: 31996443 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01993-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, two related Streptococcus pyogenes strains with reduced susceptibility to ampicillin, amoxicillin, and cefotaxime, antibiotics commonly used to treat S. pyogenes infections, were reported. The two strains had the same nonsynonymous (amino acid-substituting) mutation in the pbp2x gene, encoding penicillin-binding protein 2X (PBP2X). This concerning report led us to investigate our library of 7,025 genome sequences of type emm1, emm28, and emm89 S. pyogenes clinical strains recovered from intercontinental sources for mutations in pbp2x We identified 137 strains that, combined, had 37 nonsynonymous mutations in 36 codons in pbp2x Although to a lesser magnitude than the two previously published isolates, many of our strains had decreased susceptibility in vitro to multiple beta-lactam antibiotics. Many pbp2x mutations were found only in single strains, but 16 groups of two or more isolates of the same emm type had an identical amino acid replacement. Phylogenetic analysis showed that, with one exception, strains of the same emm type with the same amino acid replacement were clonally related by descent. This finding indicates that strains with some amino acid changes in PBP2X can successfully spread to new human hosts and cause invasive infections. Mapping of the amino acid changes onto a three-dimensional structure of the related Streptococcus pneumoniae PBP2X suggests that some substitutions are located in regions functionally important in related pathogenic bacterial species. Decreased beta-lactam susceptibility is geographically widespread in strains of numerically common emm gene subtypes. Enhanced surveillance and further epidemiological and molecular genetic study of this potential emergent antimicrobial problem are warranted.
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Wijesundara NM, Rupasinghe HPV. Essential oils from Origanum vulgare and Salvia officinalis exhibit antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities against Streptococcus pyogenes. Microb Pathog 2018; 117:118-127. [PMID: 29452197 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, essential oils (EOs) extracted from oregano, sage, cloves, and ginger were evaluated for the phytochemical profile, antibacterial, and anti-biofilm activities against Streptococcus pyogenes. The broth microdilution method was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of EOs. The minimum biofilm inhibitory concentrations (MBICs) were determined using MTT assay and fixed biofilms were observed through scan electron microscopy. The oregano and sage EOs showed the lowest MIC as well as MBC of 0.25-0.5 mg/mL. Time kill assay results showed that oregano and sage EOs exhibited bactericidal effects within 5 min and 4 h, respectively. Both oregano and sage extracts acts as a potent anti-biofilm agent with dual actions, preventing and eradicating the biofilm. The microscopic visualization of biofilms treated with EOs have shown morphological and density changes compared to the untreated control. Oregano EO was constituted predominantly carvacrol (91.6%) and in sage EO, higher levels of α-thujone (28.5%) and camphor (16.6%) were revealed. EOs of oregano and sage inhibit the growth and biofilm formation of S. pyogenes. Effective concentrations of oregano and sage EOs and their phytochemicals can be used in developing potential plant-derived antimicrobial agents in the management of streptococcal pharyngitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niluni M Wijesundara
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Export Agriculture, Uva Wellassa University, Badulla, Sri Lanka
| | - H P Vasantha Rupasinghe
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS, Canada; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
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Zhao X, He X, Li H, Zhao J, Huang S, Liu W, Wei X, Ding Y, Wang Z, Zou D, Wang X, Dong D, Yang Z, Yan X, Huang L, Du S, Yuan J. Detection of Streptococcus pyogenes using rapid visual molecular assay. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2015; 362:fnv148. [PMID: 26319025 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnv148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes is an increasingly important pathogen in many parts of the world. Rapid and accurate detection of S. pyogenes aids in the control of the infection. In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed and validated for the specific detection of S. pyogenes. The assay incorporates two methods: a chromogenic analysis using a calcein/Mn(2+) complex and real-time turbidity monitoring to assess the reaction. Both methods detected the target DNA within 60 min under 64°C isothermal conditions. The assay used specifically designed primers to target spy1258, and correctly identified 111 strains of S. pyogenes and 32 non-S. pyogenes strains, including other species of the genus Streptococcus. Tests using reference strains showed that the LAMP assay was highly specific. The sensitivity of the assay, with a detection limit of 1.49 pg DNA, was 10-fold greater than that of PCR. The LAMP assay established in this study is simple, fast and sensitive, and does not rely upon any special equipment; thus, it could be employed in clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangna Zhao
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Xiaoming He
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Huan Li
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Jiangtao Zhao
- Emergency Center, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Simo Huang
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Xiao Wei
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yiwei Ding
- Clinical Laboratory, Navy general hospital, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Zhaoyan Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Navy general hospital, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Dayang Zou
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Xuesong Wang
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Derong Dong
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Zhan Yang
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Xiabei Yan
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Liuyu Huang
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Shuangkui Du
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
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Esposito S, Bianchini S, Fastiggi M, Fumagalli M, Andreozzi L, Rigante D. Geoepidemiological hints about Streptococcus pyogenes strains in relationship with acute rheumatic fever. Autoimmun Rev 2015; 14:616-21. [PMID: 25772310 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2015.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) strains are lately classified on the basis of sequence variations in the emm gene encoding the M protein, but despite the high number of distinct emm genotypes, the spectrum of phenotypes varying from invasive suppurative to non-suppurative GAS-related disorders has still to be defined. The relationship of GAS types with the uprising of acute rheumatic fever (ARF), a multisystemic disease caused by misdirected anti-GAS response in predisposed people, is also obscure. Studies published over the last 15 years were retrieved from PubMed using the keywords: "Streptococcus pyogenes" or "group A Streptococcus" and "acute rheumatic fever": the prevalence of peculiar emm types across different countries of the world is highly variable, depending on research designs, year of observation, country involved, patients' age, and gender. Most studies revealed that a relatively small number of specific emm/M protein types can be considered "rheumatogenic", as potentially characterized by the possibility of inducing ARF, with remarkable differences between developing and developed countries. The association between emm types and post-streptococcal manifestations is challenging, however surveillance of disease-causing variants in a specific community with high rate of ARF should be reinforced with the final goal of developing a potential primary prophylaxis against GAS infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Esposito
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Sonia Bianchini
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Fastiggi
- Institute of Pediatrics, Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Fumagalli
- Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Andreozzi
- Institute of Pediatrics, Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy
| | - Donato Rigante
- Institute of Pediatrics, Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy.
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