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Hall JN, Bah SY, Khalid H, Brailey A, Coleman S, Kirk T, Hussain N, Tovey M, Chaudhuri RR, Davies S, Tilley L, de Silva T, Turner CE. Molecular characterization of Streptococcus pyogenes (StrepA) non-invasive isolates during the 2022-2023 UK upsurge. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001277. [PMID: 39133528 PMCID: PMC11318961 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
At the end of 2022 into early 2023, the UK Health Security Agency reported unusually high levels of scarlet fever and invasive disease caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (StrepA or group A Streptococcus). During this time, we collected and genome-sequenced 341 non-invasive throat and skin S. pyogenes isolates identified during routine clinical diagnostic testing in Sheffield, a large UK city. We compared the data with that obtained from a similar collection of 165 isolates from 2016 to 2017. Numbers of throat-associated isolates collected peaked in early December 2022, reflecting the national scarlet fever upsurge, while skin infections peaked later in December. The most common emm-types in 2022-2023 were emm1 (28.7 %), emm12 (24.9 %) and emm22 (7.7 %) in throat and emm1 (22 %), emm12 (10 %), emm76 (18 %) and emm49 (7 %) in skin. While all emm1 isolates were the M1UK lineage, the comparison with 2016-2017 revealed diverse lineages in other emm-types, including emm12, and emergent lineages within other types including a new acapsular emm75 lineage, demonstrating that the upsurge was not completely driven by a single genotype. The analysis of the capsule locus predicted that only 51 % of throat isolates would produce capsule compared with 78% of skin isolates. Ninety per cent of throat isolates were also predicted to have high NADase and streptolysin O (SLO) expression, based on the promoter sequence, compared with only 56% of skin isolates. Our study has highlighted the value in analysis of non-invasive isolates to characterize tissue tropisms, as well as changing strain diversity and emerging genomic features which may have implications for spillover into invasive disease and future S. pyogenes upsurges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer N. Hall
- Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- The Florey Institute of Infection, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Saikou Y. Bah
- The Florey Institute of Infection, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Henna Khalid
- The Florey Institute of Infection, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Alison Brailey
- Laboratory Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sarah Coleman
- Laboratory Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tracey Kirk
- Laboratory Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Naveed Hussain
- Laboratory Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Mark Tovey
- Laboratory Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Roy R. Chaudhuri
- The Florey Institute of Infection, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Steve Davies
- Laboratory Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Lisa Tilley
- Laboratory Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Thushan de Silva
- Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- The Florey Institute of Infection, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Claire E. Turner
- The Florey Institute of Infection, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Chiang-Ni C, Hsu CY, Yeh YH, Chi CY, Wang S, Tsai PJ, Chiu CH. Detection of toxigenic M1 UK lineage group A Streptococcus clones in Taiwan. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND INFECTION = WEI MIAN YU GAN RAN ZA ZHI 2024; 57:269-277. [PMID: 38278671 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2024.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A new sublineage of emm1 group A Streptococcus (GAS), M1UK, has emerged in Europe, North America, and Australia. Notably, a significant portion of emm1 isolates in Asia, particularly in Hong Kong and mainland China, acquired scarlet fever-associated prophages following the 2011 Hong Kong scarlet fever outbreak. However, the presence of the M1UK sublineage has not yet been detected in Asia. METHODS This study included 181 GAS isolates (2011-2021). The emm type of these isolates were determined, and 21 emm1 isolates from blood or pleural fluid (2011-2021) and 10 emm1 isolates from throat swabs (2016-2018) underwent analysis. The presence of the scarlet fever-associated prophages and the specific single nucleotide polymorphisms of the M1UK clone were determined by polymerase chain reaction and the genome sequencing. RESULTS The M1UK lineage strains from throat swab and blood samples were identified. One of the M1UK strain in Taiwan carried the scarlet fever-associated prophage and therefore acquired the ssa, speC, and spd1 toxin repertoire. Nonetheless, the increase of M1UK was not observed until 2021, and there was a reduction in the diversity of emm types in 2020-2021, possibly due to the COVID-19 pandemic restriction policies in Taiwan. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggested that the M1UK lineage clone has introduced in Taiwan. In Taiwan, the COVID-19 restrictions were officially released in March 2023; therefore, it would be crucial to continuously monitor the M1UK expansion and its related diseases in the post COVID-19 era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Chiang-Ni
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
| | - Chih-Yun Hsu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsuan Yeh
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yu Chi
- National Institute of Infectious Disease and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Shuying Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Jane Tsai
- Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsun Chiu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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Shannon BA, Hurst JR, Flannagan RS, Craig HC, Rishi A, Kasper KJ, Tuffs SW, Heinrichs DE, McCormick JK. Streptolysin S is required for Streptococcus pyogenes nasopharyngeal and skin infection in HLA-transgenic mice. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012072. [PMID: 38452154 PMCID: PMC10950238 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes is a human-specific pathogen that commonly colonizes the upper respiratory tract and skin, causing a wide variety of diseases ranging from pharyngitis to necrotizing fasciitis and toxic shock syndrome. S. pyogenes has a repertoire of secreted virulence factors that promote infection and evasion of the host immune system including the cytolysins streptolysin O (SLO) and streptolysin S (SLS). S. pyogenes does not naturally infect the upper respiratory tract of mice although mice transgenic for MHC class II human leukocyte antigens (HLA) become highly susceptible. Here we used HLA-transgenic mice to assess the role of both SLO and SLS during both nasopharyngeal and skin infection. Using S. pyogenes MGAS8232 as a model strain, we found that an SLS-deficient strain exhibited a 100-fold reduction in bacterial recovery from the nasopharynx and a 10-fold reduction in bacterial burden in the skin, whereas an SLO-deficient strain did not exhibit any infection defects in these models. Furthermore, depletion of neutrophils significantly restored the bacterial burden of the SLS-deficient bacteria in skin, but not in the nasopharynx. In mice nasally infected with the wildtype S. pyogenes, there was a marked change in localization of the tight junction protein ZO-1 at the site of infection, demonstrating damage to the nasal epithelia that was absent in mice infected with the SLS-deficient strain. Overall, we conclude that SLS is required for the establishment of nasopharyngeal infection and skin infection in HLA-transgenic mice by S. pyogenes MGAS8232 and provide evidence that SLS contributes to nasopharyngeal infection through the localized destruction of nasal epithelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake A. Shannon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jacklyn R. Hurst
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ronald S. Flannagan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Heather C. Craig
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aanchal Rishi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Katherine J. Kasper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen W. Tuffs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - David E. Heinrichs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - John K. McCormick
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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Yu W, Guo L, Shen X, Wang Z, Cai J, Liu H, Mao L, Yao W, Sun Y. Epidemiological characteristics and spatiotemporal clustering of scarlet fever in Liaoning Province, China, 2010-2019. Acta Trop 2023; 245:106968. [PMID: 37307889 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To explore the epidemiological characteristics and spatiotemporal distribution of scarlet fever in Liaoning Province, which could provide scientific evidence for the formulation and improvement of prevention and control strategies and measures. METHODS Data on scarlet fever cases and population were obtained from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention in Liaoning Province between 2010 and 2019. We examined the spatial and spatiotemporal clusters of scarlet fever across Liaoning Province using the Moran's I, local indicators of spatial association, local Gi* hotspot statistics, and Kulldorff's retrospective space-time scan statistical analysis. RESULTS Between 1st January 2010 and 31st December 2019, 46,652 cases of scarlet fever were reported in Liaoning Province, with an annual average incidence of 10.67 per 100,000. The incidence of scarlet fever had obvious seasonality with high incidence in early summer June and early winter December. The male-to-female ratio was 1.53:1. The highest incidence of cases occurred in 3-9 year old children. The most likely spatiotemporal cluster and the secondary clusters were detected in urban regions of Shenyang and Dalian, Liaoning Province. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of scarlet fever has obvious spatiotemporal clustering, with the high-risk areas mainly concentrated in urban area of Shenyang and Dalian, Liaoning Province. Control strategies need to focus on high-risk season, high-risk areas and high-risk populations in order to reduce the incidence of scarlet fever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijun Yu
- Institute for Prevention and Control of Infection and Infectious Diseases, Liaoning Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.168, Jin Feng Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110172, China
| | - Lining Guo
- Hunnan District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenyang, Liaoning 110015, China
| | - Xiulian Shen
- Epidemic Surveillance/Public Health Emergency Response Center, Yunnan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, Yunnan 650022, China
| | - Zijiang Wang
- Institute for Prevention and Control of Infection and Infectious Diseases, Liaoning Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.168, Jin Feng Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110172, China; Department of Emergency Management, Liaoning Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.168, Jin Feng Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110172, China.
| | - Jian Cai
- Department of Communicable Disease Control, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310051, China
| | - Huihui Liu
- Chinese Field Epidemiology Training Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Lingling Mao
- Institute for Prevention and Control of Infection and Infectious Diseases, Liaoning Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.168, Jin Feng Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110172, China
| | - Wenqing Yao
- Institute for Prevention and Control of Infection and Infectious Diseases, Liaoning Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.168, Jin Feng Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110172, China
| | - Yingwei Sun
- Institute for Prevention and Control of Infection and Infectious Diseases, Liaoning Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.168, Jin Feng Street, Shenyang, Liaoning 110172, China.
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5
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Emami S, Rojas Converso T, Persson JJ, Johansson-Lindbom B. Insertion of an immunodominant T helper cell epitope within the Group A Streptococcus M protein promotes an IFN-γ-dependent shift from a non-protective to a protective immune response. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1241485. [PMID: 37654501 PMCID: PMC10465795 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1241485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The common pathogen Group A Streptococcus (GAS, Streptococcus pyogenes) is an extracellular bacterium that is associated with a multitude of infectious syndromes spanning a wide range of severity. The surface-exposed M protein is a major GAS virulence factor that is also target for protective antibody responses. In this study, we use a murine immunization model to investigate aspects of the cellular and molecular foundation for protective adaptive immune responses generated against GAS. We show that a wild type M1 GAS strain induces a non-protective antibody response, while an isogenic strain carrying the immunodominant 2W T helper cell epitope within the M protein elicits an immune response that is protective against the parental non-recombinant M1 GAS strain. Although the two strains induce total anti-GAS IgG levels of similar magnitude, only the 2W-carrying strain promotes elevated titers of the complement-fixing IgG2c subclass. Protection is dependent on IFN-γ, and IFN-γ-deficient mice show a specific reduction in IgG2c levels. Our findings suggest that inclusion of the 2W T cell epitope in the M protein confers essential qualitative alterations in the adaptive immune response against GAS, and that sparsity in IFN-γ-promoting Th cell epitopes in the M protein may constitute an immune evasion mechanism, evolved to allow the pathogen to avoid attack by complement-fixing antibodies.
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6
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Brouwer S, Rivera-Hernandez T, Curren BF, Harbison-Price N, De Oliveira DMP, Jespersen MG, Davies MR, Walker MJ. Pathogenesis, epidemiology and control of Group A Streptococcus infection. Nat Rev Microbiol 2023; 21:431-447. [PMID: 36894668 PMCID: PMC9998027 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-00865-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus; GAS) is exquisitely adapted to the human host, resulting in asymptomatic infection, pharyngitis, pyoderma, scarlet fever or invasive diseases, with potential for triggering post-infection immune sequelae. GAS deploys a range of virulence determinants to allow colonization, dissemination within the host and transmission, disrupting both innate and adaptive immune responses to infection. Fluctuating global GAS epidemiology is characterized by the emergence of new GAS clones, often associated with the acquisition of new virulence or antimicrobial determinants that are better adapted to the infection niche or averting host immunity. The recent identification of clinical GAS isolates with reduced penicillin sensitivity and increasing macrolide resistance threatens both frontline and penicillin-adjunctive antibiotic treatment. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a GAS research and technology road map and has outlined preferred vaccine characteristics, stimulating renewed interest in the development of safe and effective GAS vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Brouwer
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Bodie F Curren
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nichaela Harbison-Price
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - David M P De Oliveira
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Magnus G Jespersen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark R Davies
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark J Walker
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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7
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Davies MR, Keller N, Brouwer S, Jespersen MG, Cork AJ, Hayes AJ, Pitt ME, De Oliveira DMP, Harbison-Price N, Bertolla OM, Mediati DG, Curren BF, Taiaroa G, Lacey JA, Smith HV, Fang NX, Coin LJM, Stevens K, Tong SYC, Sanderson-Smith M, Tree JJ, Irwin AD, Grimwood K, Howden BP, Jennison AV, Walker MJ. Detection of Streptococcus pyogenes M1 UK in Australia and characterization of the mutation driving enhanced expression of superantigen SpeA. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1051. [PMID: 36828918 PMCID: PMC9951164 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36717-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
A new variant of Streptococcus pyogenes serotype M1 (designated 'M1UK') has been reported in the United Kingdom, linked with seasonal scarlet fever surges, marked increase in invasive infections, and exhibiting enhanced expression of the superantigen SpeA. The progenitor S. pyogenes 'M1global' and M1UK clones can be differentiated by 27 SNPs and 4 indels, yet the mechanism for speA upregulation is unknown. Here we investigate the previously unappreciated expansion of M1UK in Australia, now isolated from the majority of serious infections caused by serotype M1 S. pyogenes. M1UK sub-lineages circulating in Australia also contain a novel toxin repertoire associated with epidemic scarlet fever causing S. pyogenes in Asia. A single SNP in the 5' transcriptional leader sequence of the transfer-messenger RNA gene ssrA drives enhanced SpeA superantigen expression as a result of ssrA terminator read-through in the M1UK lineage. This represents a previously unappreciated mechanism of toxin expression and urges enhanced international surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark R Davies
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Nadia Keller
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Stephan Brouwer
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Magnus G Jespersen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Amanda J Cork
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Andrew J Hayes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Miranda E Pitt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David M P De Oliveira
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Nichaela Harbison-Price
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Olivia M Bertolla
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Daniel G Mediati
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Bodie F Curren
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - George Taiaroa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jake A Lacey
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Helen V Smith
- Public Health Microbiology, Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Ning-Xia Fang
- Public Health Microbiology, Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Lachlan J M Coin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kerrie Stevens
- Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, The Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Steven Y C Tong
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Martina Sanderson-Smith
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Jai J Tree
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Adam D Irwin
- University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,Queensland Children's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Keith Grimwood
- School of Medicine and Dentistry and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.,Departments of Infectious Diseases and Paediatrics, Gold Coast Health, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Benjamin P Howden
- Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, The Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Amy V Jennison
- Public Health Microbiology, Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark J Walker
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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8
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Le YJ, He LY, Li S, Xiong CJ, Lu CH, Yang XY. Chlorogenic acid exerts antibacterial effects by affecting lipid metabolism and scavenging ROS in Streptococcus pyogenes. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2022; 369:6633658. [PMID: 35798014 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnac061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlorogenic acid (CGA), one of the most abundant polyphenols in the human diet, exhibits many biological properties, including antibacterial properties. Numerous studies have investigated the antibacterial effects of CGA, however, the molecular mechanisms governing its effects against Streptococcus pyogenes have not been fully elucidated. Streptococcus pyogenes is a Gram-positive pathogen that causes a wide range of human infections and postinfectious immune-mediated disorders. In this study, we used an isobaric tagging for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based proteomic technique to investigate the underlying mode of action of CGA against S. pyogenes. KEGG and GO analyses indicated that CGA affected the expression of protein alterations involved in multiple pathways, downregulating the expression of ribosomal proteins, and upregulating the expression of proteins associated with fatty acid metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, and propanoate metabolism, while activating the expression of oxidation-reduction-related proteins. Moreover, further cell-based experiments verified that CGA scavenges intracellular ROS in S. pyogenes. These results suggest that CGA may exert its antibacterial action through several actions, such as downregulating ribosomal subunits, affecting lipid metabolism, and scavenging intracellular ROS. The results of this study may help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which CGA combats pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Jin Le
- Zhuhai Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Research in Chinese Medicine, Department of Bioengineering, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519041, China
| | - Li-Yuan He
- Zhuhai Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Research in Chinese Medicine, Department of Bioengineering, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519041, China
| | - Sha Li
- Zhuhai Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Research in Chinese Medicine, Department of Bioengineering, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519041, China
| | - Chun-Jiang Xiong
- Zhuhai Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Research in Chinese Medicine, Department of Bioengineering, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519041, China
| | - Chun-Hua Lu
- Medical College of Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Yang
- Zhuhai Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Research in Chinese Medicine, Department of Bioengineering, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519041, China
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9
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Abstract
The nasopharynx and the skin are the major oxygen-rich anatomical sites for colonization by the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus [GAS]). To establish infection, GAS must survive oxidative stress generated during aerobic metabolism and the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by host innate immune cells. Glutathione is the major host antioxidant molecule, while GAS is glutathione auxotrophic. Here, we report the molecular characterization of the ABC transporter substrate binding protein GshT in the GAS glutathione salvage pathway. We demonstrate that glutathione uptake is critical for aerobic growth of GAS and that impaired import of glutathione induces oxidative stress that triggers enhanced production of the reducing equivalent NADPH. Our results highlight the interrelationship between glutathione assimilation, carbohydrate metabolism, virulence factor production, and innate immune evasion. Together, these findings suggest an adaptive strategy employed by extracellular bacterial pathogens to exploit host glutathione stores for their own benefit.
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10
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Sun L, Xiao Y, Huang W, Lai J, Lyu J, Ye B, Chen H, Gu B. Prevalence and identification of antibiotic-resistant scarlet fever group A Streptococcus strains in some pediatric cases at Shenzhen, China. J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2022; 30:199-204. [PMID: 35618209 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2022.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the annual incidence, molecular epidemiological characteristics, and antimicrobial resistance of group A Streptococcus (GAS) clinical isolates from pediatric patients at Shenzhen Children's Hospital during 2016-2020. METHODS Clinical samples were collected from pediatric patients with a suspected diagnosis of GAS infections. We studied the annual incidence and characteristics of GAS infections using the GAS antigen detection method. Additionally, 250 GAS isolates were randomly selected for genotyping of the emm gene, and antimicrobial susceptibility assay was performed using the Kirby-Bauer paper dispersion strategy. RESULTS Among 43,593 collected samples, 9,313 were positive for the GAS antigen. The main emm type was emm12, followed by emm1, emm6, and emm 4, which were used for distinguishing 90% of the scarlet fever isolated strains. The percentage of emm1 increased from 36% in 2016 to 44% in 2019, whereas the percentage of emm12 decreased from 62% to 50%. Several unusual emm types isolated from scarlet fever patients showed an increase in proportions from 2016 to 2020. These GAS isolates were sensitive to penicillin, ceftriaxone, and vancomycin and were highly resistant to erythromycin and clindamycin. CONCLUSION There was a high incidence of GAS infections during 2016-2020 in Shenzhen, China. The GAS isolates had a high resistance rate to erythromycin and clindamycin; penicillin was the antibiotic of choice for GAS infections. The common emm types were emm12 and emm1. Future studies should investigate the clonal structure and superantigen profiles of the population of GAS isolates associated with scarlet fever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifang Sun
- Laboratory of Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yunju Xiao
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weilong Huang
- Laboratory of Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianwei Lai
- Laboratory of Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jingwen Lyu
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Medical Technology School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Laboratory Diagnostics, Xuzhou, China
| | - Bingjun Ye
- Laboratory of Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hongyu Chen
- Laboratory of Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Bing Gu
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Medical Technology School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Laboratory Diagnostics, Xuzhou, China.
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11
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Modeling the effects of air pollution and meteorological factors on scarlet fever in five provinces, Northwest China, 2013-2018. J Theor Biol 2022; 544:111134. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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12
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Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus) is a globally disseminated and human-adapted bacterial pathogen that causes a wide range of infections, including scarlet fever. Scarlet fever is a toxin-mediated disease characterized by the formation of an erythematous, sandpaper-like rash that typically occurs in children aged 5 to 15. This infectious disease is caused by toxins called superantigens, a family of highly potent immunomodulators. Although scarlet fever had largely declined in both prevalence and severity since the late 19th century, outbreaks have now reemerged in multiple geographical regions over the past decade. Here, we review recent findings that address the role of superantigens in promoting a fitness advantage for S. pyogenes within human populations and discuss how superantigens may be suitable targets for vaccination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacklyn R. Hurst
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephan Brouwer
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mark J. Walker
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail: (MJW); (JKM)
| | - John K. McCormick
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail: (MJW); (JKM)
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13
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Characterization of the Type I Restriction Modification System Broadly Conserved among Group A Streptococci. mSphere 2021; 6:e0079921. [PMID: 34787444 PMCID: PMC8597746 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00799-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Although prokaryotic DNA methylation investigations have long focused on immunity against exogenous DNA, it has been recently recognized that DNA methylation impacts gene expression and phase variation in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus suis. A comprehensive analysis of DNA methylation is lacking for beta-hemolytic streptococci, and thus we sought to examine DNA methylation in the major human pathogen group A Streptococcus (GAS). Using a database of 224 GAS genomes encompassing 80 emm types, we found that nearly all GAS strains encode a type I restriction modification (RM) system that lacks the hsdS′ alleles responsible for impacting gene expression in S. pneumoniae and S. suis. The GAS type I system is located on the core chromosome, while sporadically present type II orphan methyltransferases were identified on prophages. By combining single-molecule real-time (SMRT) analyses of 10 distinct emm types along with phylogenomics of 224 strains, we were able to assign 13 methylation patterns to the GAS population. Inactivation of the type I RM system, occurring either naturally through phage insertion or through laboratory-induced gene deletion, abrogated DNA methylation detectable via either SMRT or MinION sequencing. Contrary to a previous report, inactivation of the type I system did not impact transcript levels of the gene (mga) encoding the key multigene activator protein (Mga) or Mga-regulated genes. Inactivation of the type I system significantly increased plasmid transformation rates. These data delineate the breadth of the core chromosomal type I RM system in the GAS population and clarify its role in immunity rather than impacting Mga regulon expression. IMPORTANCE The advent of whole-genome approaches capable of detecting DNA methylation has markedly expanded appreciation of the diverse roles of epigenetic modification in prokaryotic physiology. For example, recent studies have suggested that DNA methylation impacts gene expression in some streptococci. The data described herein are from the first systematic analysis of DNA methylation in a beta-hemolytic streptococcus and one of the few analyses to comprehensively characterize DNA methylation across hundreds of strains of the same bacterial species. We clarify that DNA methylation in group A Streptococcus (GAS) is primarily due to a type I restriction modification (RM) system present in the core genome and does not impact mga-regulated virulence gene expression, but does impact immunity against exogenous DNA. The identification of the DNA motifs recognized by each type I RM system may assist with optimizing methods for GAS genetic manipulation and help us understand how bacterial pathogens acquire exogenous DNA elements.
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14
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Cubria MB, Delgado J, Shah BJ, Sanson MA, Flores AR. Identification of epidemic scarlet fever group A Streptococcus strains in the paediatric population of Houston, TX, USA. Access Microbiol 2021; 3:000274. [PMID: 34816093 PMCID: PMC8604173 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Scarlet fever (SF) has recently been associated with group A streptococcal (GAS) strains possessing multidrug resistance and specific streptococcal exotoxins. We screened a local surveillance collection of GAS emm12 strains in Houston, TX, USA for antimicrobial resistance and identified a single isolate matching the antimicrobial resistance pattern previously reported for SF clones. Using whole-genome sequencing and combining genome sequence data derived from national surveillance databases, we identified additional emm12 GAS clones similar to those associated with prior SF outbreaks, emphasizing the need for continued surveillance for epidemic emergence in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Belen Cubria
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jose Delgado
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Brittany J Shah
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Misu A Sanson
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Anthony R Flores
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.,Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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15
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Richter J, Monteleone MM, Cork AJ, Barnett TC, Nizet V, Brouwer S, Schroder K, Walker MJ. Streptolysins are the primary inflammasome activators in macrophages during Streptococcus pyogenes infection. Immunol Cell Biol 2021; 99:1040-1052. [PMID: 34462965 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a Gram-positive bacterial pathogen that causes an array of infectious diseases in humans. Accumulating clinical evidence suggests that proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-1β signaling plays an important role in GAS disease progression. The host regulates the production and secretion of IL-1β via the cytosolic inflammasome pathway. Activation of the NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome complex requires two signals: a priming signal that stimulates increased transcription of genes encoding the components of the inflammasome pathway, and an activating signal that induces assembly of the inflammasome complex. Here we show that GAS-derived lipoteichoic acid can provide a priming signal for NLRP3 inflammasome activation. As only few GAS-derived proteins have been associated with inflammasome-dependent IL-1β signaling, we investigated novel candidates that might play a role in activating the inflammasome pathway by infecting mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages and human THP-1 macrophage-like cells with a panel of isogenic GAS mutant strains. We found that the cytolysins streptolysin O (SLO) and streptolysin S are the main drivers of IL-1β release in proliferating logarithmic phase GAS. Using a mutant form of recombinant SLO, we confirmed that bacterial pore formation on host cell membranes is a key mechanism required for inflammasome activation. Our results suggest that streptolysins are major determinants of GAS-induced inflammation and present an attractive target for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Richter
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Mercedes M Monteleone
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Institute for Molecular Bioscience and IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Amanda J Cork
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Timothy C Barnett
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.,Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Victor Nizet
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Skaggs School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Stephan Brouwer
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Kate Schroder
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Institute for Molecular Bioscience and IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark J Walker
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
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16
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Murase K, Aikawa C, Nozawa T, Nakatake A, Sakamoto K, Kikuchi T, Nakagawa I. Biological Effect of Streptococcus pyogenes-Released Extracellular Vesicles on Human Monocytic Cells, Induction of Cytotoxicity, and Inflammatory Response. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:711144. [PMID: 34350134 PMCID: PMC8326760 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.711144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Most bacteria naturally release spherical lipid-bilayered extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing proteins, nucleic acids, and virulence-related molecules, thus contributing to diverse biological functions including transport of virulence factors. The group A streptococcus, Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS), a major human pathogen, also releases EVs; however, it remains unclear how GAS EVs interact physiologically and pathologically with host cells, and what the differences are between invasive and non-invasive strains. The proteome profile in this study revealed that GAS EVs enclosed many virulence-related proteins such as streptolysin O and NAD-glycohydrolase, facilitating their pathogenicity, and invasive GAS EVs were more abundant than non-invasive counterparts. In terms of biological effects, invasive GAS EVs showed slo-dependent cytotoxic activity and the induction of cytokine expression, contributing to GAS pathogenicity directly. Although non-invasive GAS EVs did not show cytotoxic activity, they may be utilized as a means to prevent antibacterial mechanisms such as autophagy, leading to enhancement of their own survival in the intracellular environment after the infection. These results suggest that invasive and non-invasive GAS EVs play different roles in GAS infection strategy and pathogenicity. Our findings also indicate that EVs could be a key factor for GAS pathogenicity in GAS-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazunori Murase
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Chihiro Aikawa
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takashi Nozawa
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ayako Nakatake
- HTLV-1/ATL Research Facility, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Kuniyo Sakamoto
- HTLV-1/ATL Research Facility, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Taisei Kikuchi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Ichiro Nakagawa
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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17
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Chiang-Ni C, Liu YS, Lin CY, Hsu CY, Shi YA, Chen YYM, Lai CH, Chiu CH. Incidence and Effects of Acquisition of the Phage-Encoded ssa Superantigen Gene in Invasive Group A Streptococcus. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:685343. [PMID: 34149675 PMCID: PMC8212969 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.685343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The acquisition of the phage-encoded superantigen ssa by scarlet fever-associated group A Streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes, GAS) is found in North Asia. Nonetheless, the impact of acquiring ssa by GAS in invasive infections is unclear. This study initially analyzed the prevalence of ssa+ GAS among isolates from sterile tissues and blood. Among 220 isolates in northern Taiwan, the prevalence of ssa+ isolates increased from 1.5% in 2008–2010 to 40% in 2017–2019. Spontaneous mutations in covR/covS, which result in the functional loss of capacity to phosphorylate CovR, are frequently recovered from GAS invasive infection cases. Consistent with this, Phostag western blot results indicated that among the invasive infection isolates studied, 10% of the ssa+ isolates lacked detectable phosphorylated CovR. Transcription of ssa is upregulated in the covS mutant. Furthermore, in emm1 and emm12 covS mutants, ssa deletion significantly reduced their capacity to grow in human whole blood. Finally, this study showed that the ssa gene could be transferred from emm12-type isolates to the emm1-type wild-type strain and covS mutants through phage infection and lysogenic conversion. As the prevalence of ssa+ isolates increased significantly, the role of streptococcal superantigen in GAS pathogenesis, particularly in invasive covR/covS mutants, should be further analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Chiang-Ni
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan.,Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Shan Liu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-Yu Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yun Hsu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yong-An Shi
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ywan M Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Ho Lai
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsun Chiu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan.,Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan
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18
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Remmington A, Haywood S, Edgar J, Green LR, de Silva T, Turner CE. Cryptic prophages within a Streptococcus pyogenes genotype emm4 lineage. Microb Genom 2021; 7:mgen000482. [PMID: 33245690 PMCID: PMC8115907 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The major human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes shares an intimate evolutionary history with mobile genetic elements, which in many cases carry genes encoding bacterial virulence factors. During recent whole-genome sequencing of a longitudinal sample of S. pyogenes isolates in England, we identified a lineage within emm4 that clustered with the reference genome MEW427. Like MEW427, this lineage was characterized by substantial gene loss within all three prophage regions, compared to MGAS10750 and isolates outside of the MEW427-like lineage. Gene loss primarily affected lysogeny, replicative and regulatory modules, and to a lesser and more variable extent, structural genes. Importantly, prophage-encoded superantigen and DNase genes were retained in all isolates. In isolates where the prophage elements were complete, like MGAS10750, they could be induced experimentally, but not in MEW427-like isolates with degraded prophages. We also found gene loss within the chromosomal island SpyCIM4 of MEW427-like isolates, although surprisingly, the SpyCIM4 element could not be experimentally induced in either MGAS10750-like or MEW427-like isolates. This did not, however, appear to abolish expression of the mismatch repair operon, within which this element resides. The inclusion of further emm4 genomes in our analyses ratified our observations and revealed an international emm4 lineage characterized by prophage degradation. Intriguingly, the USA population of emm4 S. pyogenes appeared to constitute predominantly MEW427-like isolates, whereas the UK population comprised both MEW427-like and MGAS10750-like isolates. The degraded and cryptic nature of these elements may have important phenotypic and fitness ramifications for emm4 S. pyogenes, and the geographical distribution of this lineage raises interesting questions on the population dynamics of the genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Remmington
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Florey Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Samuel Haywood
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Florey Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Julia Edgar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Florey Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Luke R. Green
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, Florey Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Thushan de Silva
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, Florey Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Claire E. Turner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Florey Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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19
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Jespersen MG, Lacey JA, Tong SYC, Davies MR. Global genomic epidemiology of Streptococcus pyogenes. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 86:104609. [PMID: 33147506 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes is one of the Top 10 human infectious disease killers worldwide causing a range of clinical manifestations in humans. Colonizing a range of ecological niches within its sole host, the human, is key to the ability of this opportunistic pathogen to cause direct and post-infectious manifestations. The expansion of genome sequencing capabilities and data availability over the last decade has led to an improved understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of this pathogen within a global framework where epidemiological relationships and evolutionary mechanisms may not be universal. This review uses the recent publication by Davies et al., 2019 as an updated global framework to address S. pyogenes population genomics, highlighting how genomics is being used to gain new insights into evolutionary processes, transmission pathways, and vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magnus G Jespersen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jake A Lacey
- Doherty Department, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Steven Y C Tong
- Doherty Department, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark R Davies
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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20
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Brouwer S, Barnett TC, Ly D, Kasper KJ, De Oliveira DMP, Rivera-Hernandez T, Cork AJ, McIntyre L, Jespersen MG, Richter J, Schulz BL, Dougan G, Nizet V, Yuen KY, You Y, McCormick JK, Sanderson-Smith ML, Davies MR, Walker MJ. Prophage exotoxins enhance colonization fitness in epidemic scarlet fever-causing Streptococcus pyogenes. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5018. [PMID: 33024089 PMCID: PMC7538557 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18700-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The re-emergence of scarlet fever poses a new global public health threat. The capacity of North-East Asian serotype M12 (emm12) Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus, GAS) to cause scarlet fever has been linked epidemiologically to the presence of novel prophages, including prophage ΦHKU.vir encoding the secreted superantigens SSA and SpeC and the DNase Spd1. Here, we report the molecular characterization of ΦHKU.vir-encoded exotoxins. We demonstrate that streptolysin O (SLO)-induced glutathione efflux from host cellular stores is a previously unappreciated GAS virulence mechanism that promotes SSA release and activity, representing the first description of a thiol-activated bacterial superantigen. Spd1 is required for resistance to neutrophil killing. Investigating single, double and triple isogenic knockout mutants of the ΦHKU.vir-encoded exotoxins, we find that SpeC and Spd1 act synergistically to facilitate nasopharyngeal colonization in a mouse model. These results offer insight into the pathogenesis of scarlet fever-causing GAS mediated by prophage ΦHKU.vir exotoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Brouwer
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Timothy C Barnett
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Diane Ly
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine J Kasper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Centre for Human Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - David M P De Oliveira
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Tania Rivera-Hernandez
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Amanda J Cork
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Liam McIntyre
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Magnus G Jespersen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Johanna Richter
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Schulz
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Gordon Dougan
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Victor Nizet
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuanhai You
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Centre for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - John K McCormick
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Centre for Human Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Martina L Sanderson-Smith
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark R Davies
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark J Walker
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia.
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21
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Tsai WC, Shen CF, Lin YL, Shen FC, Tsai PJ, Wang SY, Lin YS, Wu JJ, Chi CY, Liu CC. Emergence of macrolide-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes emm12 in southern Taiwan from 2000 to 2019. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND INFECTION = WEI MIAN YU GAN RAN ZA ZHI 2020; 54:1086-1093. [PMID: 32994137 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2020.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is an important pathogen causing morbidity and mortality worldwide. Surveillance of resistance and emm type has important implication to provide helpful information on the changing GAS epidemiology and empirical treatment. METHODS To study the emergence of resistant GAS in children with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), a retrospective study was conducted from 2000 to 2019 in southern Taiwan. Microbiological studies, including antibiotic susceptibility, were performed. GAS emm types and sequences were determined by molecular methods. The population was divided into two separate decades to analyze potential changes over time. The 1st decade was 2000-2009; the 2nd decade was 2010-2019. Multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors associated with macrolide resistance between these periods. RESULTS A total of 320 GAS from 339 children were enrolled. Most of the children (75%) were under 9 years of age. The most common diagnosis was scarlet fever (225, 66.4%), and the frequency increased from 54.8% in the 1st to 77.9% in the 2nd decade (p < 0.0001). There was a significant increase in resistance to erythromycin and azithromycin from 18.1%, 19.3% in the 1st to 58.4%, 61.0% in the 2nd decade (p < 0.0001). This was associated with clonal expansion of the GAS emm12-ST36 which carrying erm(B) and tet(M) from 3.0% in the 1st to 53.2% in the 2nd decade (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Significant emergence of macrolide-resistant GAS emm12-ST36 in children supports the need for continuing surveillance and investigation for the clonal virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chun Tsai
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Fen Shen
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Lan Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Fan-Ching Shen
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Jane Tsai
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan; Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Ying Wang
- Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Yee-Shin Lin
- Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Jiunn-Jong Wu
- Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yu Chi
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan; National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County, Taiwan; Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
| | - Ching-Chuan Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan; Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan.
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22
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Walker MJ, Brouwer S, Forde BM, Worthing KA, McIntyre L, Sundac L, Maloney S, Roberts LW, Barnett TC, Richter J, Cork AJ, Irwin AD, You Y, Zhang J, Dougan G, Yuen KY, Nizet V, Beatson SA, Grimwood K, Davies MR. Detection of Epidemic Scarlet Fever Group A Streptococcus in Australia. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 69:1232-1234. [PMID: 30721938 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sentinel hospital surveillance was instituted in Australia to detect the presence of pandemic group A Streptococcus strains causing scarlet fever. Genomic and phylogenetic analyses indicated the presence of an Australian GAS emm12 scarlet fever isolate related to United Kingdom outbreak strains. National surveillance to monitor this pandemic is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Walker
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane
| | - Stephan Brouwer
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane
| | - Brian M Forde
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane
| | - Kate A Worthing
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Victoria, Australia
| | - Liam McIntyre
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lana Sundac
- Pathology Queensland, Gold Coast Laboratory, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sam Maloney
- Pathology Queensland, Gold Coast Laboratory, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Leah W Roberts
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane
| | - Timothy C Barnett
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane
| | - Johanna Richter
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane
| | - Amanda J Cork
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane
| | - Adam D Irwin
- University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Australia.,Queensland Children's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Yuanhai You
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation, Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing
| | - Jianzhong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation, Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing
| | - Gordon Dougan
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Kwok Y Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Victor Nizet
- Division of Host-Microbe Systems and Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla
| | - Scott A Beatson
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane
| | - Keith Grimwood
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast.,Departments of Infectious Diseases and Pediatrics, Gold Coast Health, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mark R Davies
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Victoria, Australia
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23
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Liu Y, Ding H, Chang ST, Lu R, Zhong H, Zhao N, Lin TH, Bao Y, Yap L, Xu W, Wang M, Li Y, Qin S, Zhao Y, Geng X, Wang S, Chen E, Yu Z, Chan TC, Liu S. Exposure to air pollution and scarlet fever resurgence in China: a six-year surveillance study. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4229. [PMID: 32843631 PMCID: PMC7447791 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17987-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Scarlet fever has resurged in China starting in 2011, and the environment is one of the potential reasons. Nationwide data on 655,039 scarlet fever cases and six air pollutants were retrieved. Exposure risks were evaluated by multivariate distributed lag nonlinear models and a meta-regression model. We show that the average incidence in 2011-2018 was twice that in 2004-2010 [RR = 2.30 (4.40 vs. 1.91), 95% CI: 2.29-2.31; p < 0.001] and generally lower in the summer and winter holiday (p = 0.005). A low to moderate correlation was seen between scarlet fever and monthly NO2 (r = 0.21) and O3 (r = 0.11). A 10 μg/m3 increase of NO2 and O3 was significantly associated with scarlet fever, with a cumulative RR of 1.06 (95% CI: 1.02-1.10) and 1.04 (95% CI: 1.01-1.07), respectively, at a lag of 0 to 15 months. In conclusion, long-term exposure to ambient NO2 and O3 may be associated with an increased risk of scarlet fever incidence, but direct causality is not established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghong Liu
- School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Hui Ding
- School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Shu-Ting Chang
- Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ran Lu
- Division of Infectious Disease, Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-Warning on Infectious Disease, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Zhong
- School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Na Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tzu-Hsuan Lin
- Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yiming Bao
- National Genomics Data Center, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences & China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
| | - Liwei Yap
- Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Weijia Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Transport System, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Minyi Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Transport System, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Baoan District Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Shuwen Qin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xingyi Geng
- Emergency Offices, Jinan Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Supen Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Enfu Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Zhi Yu
- School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
| | - Ta-Chien Chan
- Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Shelan Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
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24
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Li H, Zhou L, Zhao Y, Ma L, Liu X, Hu J. Molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of group a streptococcus recovered from patients in Beijing, China. BMC Infect Dis 2020; 20:507. [PMID: 32660436 PMCID: PMC7359455 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-020-05241-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Group A streptococcus (GAS) is an important human pathogen responsible for a broad range of infections. Epidemiological surveillance has been crucial to detect changes in the geographical and temporal variation of the disease pattern. The objective of this study was to investigate the molecular epidemiological characteristics and antimicrobial resistance of GAS isolates from patients in Children's Hospital in Beijing. METHODS From 2016 to 2017, pharyngeal swab samples were collected from the outpatients in Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, who were diagnosed with scarlet fever. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed according to the distribution of conventional antibiotics and Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) recommendations. The distribution of the macrolide-resistance genes (ermB, ermA, mefA), emm (M protein-coding gene) typing, and superantigens (SAg) gene profiling were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS A total of 297 GAS isolates were collected. The susceptibility of the isolates to penicillin, ceftriaxone, and levofloxacin was 100%. The resistance rate to erythromycin and clindamycin was 98.3 and 96.6%, respectively. The dominant emm types were emm12 (65.32%), emm1 (27.61%), emm75 (2.69%), and emm89 (1.35%). Of the 297 isolates, 290 (97.64%) carried the ermB gene, and 5 (1.68%) carried the mefA gene, while none carried the ermA gene. The most common superantigen genes identified from GAS isolates were smeZ (96.97%), speC (92.59%), speG (91.58%), ssa (85.52%), speI (54.55%), speH (52.19%), and speA (34.34%). Isolates with the genotype emm1 possessed speA, speC, speG, speJ, speM, ssa, and smeZ, while emm12 possessed speC, speG, speH, speI, speM, ssa, and smeZ superantigens. CONCLUSIONS The prevalent strain of GAS isolates in Beijing has a high resistance rate to macrolides; however, penicillin can still be the preferred antibiotic for treatment. Erythromycin resistance was predominantly mediated by ermB. The common emm types were emm12 and emm1. There was a correlation between emm and the superantigen gene. Thus, long-term monitoring and investigation of the emm types and superantigen genes of GAS prevalence are imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxin Li
- Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China.
| | - Lin Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Yong Zhao
- The Sixth Medical Centre of PLA, General Hospital, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Lijuan Ma
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Jin Hu
- Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China.
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25
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Increase of emm1 isolates among group A Streptococcus strains causing scarlet fever in Shanghai, China. Int J Infect Dis 2020; 98:305-314. [PMID: 32562850 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Scarlet fever epidemics caused by group A Streptococcus (GAS) have been ongoing in China since 2011. However, limited data are available on the dynamic molecular characterizations of the epidemic strains. METHOD Epidemiological data of scarlet fever in Shanghai were obtained from the National Notifiable Infectious Disease Surveillance System. Throat swabs of patients with scarlet fever and asymptomatic school-age children were cultured. Illumina sequencing was performed on 39emm1 isolates. RESULTS The annual incidence of scarlet fever was 7.5-19.4/100,000 persons in Shanghai during 2011-2015, with an average GAS carriage rate being 7.6% in school-age children. The proportion ofemm1 GAS strains increased from 3.8% in 2011 to 48.6% in 2014; they harbored a superantigen profile similar to emm12 isolates, except for the speA gene. Two predominant clones, SH001-emm12, and SH002-emm1, circulated in 66.9% of scarlet fever cases and 44.8% of carriers. Genomic analysis showed emm1 isolates throughout China constituted distinct clades, enriched by the presence of mobile genetic elements carrying the multidrug-resistant determinants ermB and tetM and virulence genes speA, speC, and spd1. CONCLUSION A significant increase in the proportion ofemm1 strains occurred in the GAS population, causing scarlet fever in China. Ongoing surveillance is warranted to monitor the dynamic changes of GAS clones.
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26
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De Oliveira DMP, Everest-Dass A, Hartley-Tassell L, Day CJ, Indraratna A, Brouwer S, Cleary A, Kautto L, Gorman J, Packer NH, Jennings MP, Walker MJ, Sanderson-Smith ML. Human glycan expression patterns influence Group A streptococcal colonization of epithelial cells. FASEB J 2019; 33:10808-10818. [PMID: 31262188 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201900559r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Colonization of the oropharynx is the initial step in Group A Streptococcus (GAS) pharyngeal infection. We have previously reported that the highly virulent M1T1 GAS clone attaches to oral epithelial cells via M1 protein interaction with blood group antigen carbohydrate structures. Here, we have identified that colonization of human oral epithelial cells by GAS serotypes M3 and M12 is mediated by human blood group antigens [ABO(H)] and Lewis (Le) antigen expression. Removal of linkage-specific fucose, galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, and sialic acid modulated GAS colonization, dependent on host ABO(H) blood group and Le expression profile. Furthermore, N-linked glycans from human salivary glycoproteins, when released and purified, were potent inhibitors of M1, M3, and M12 GAS colonization ex vivo. These data highlight the important role played by human protein glycosylation patterns in GAS attachment to oral epithelial cell surfaces.-De Oliveira, D. M. P., Everest-Dass, A., Hartley-Tassell, L., Day, C. J., Indraratna, A., Brouwer, S., Cleary, A., Kautto, L., Gorman, J., Packer, N. H., Jennings, M. P., Walker, M. J., Sanderson-Smith, M. L. Human glycan expression patterns influence Group A streptococcal colonization of epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M P De Oliveira
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.,Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Arun Everest-Dass
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Christopher J Day
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anuk Indraratna
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stephan Brouwer
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ailish Cleary
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Liisa Kautto
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jody Gorman
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nicolle H Packer
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michael P Jennings
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mark J Walker
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Martina L Sanderson-Smith
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
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27
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Kim J, Kim JE, Bae JM. Incidence of Scarlet Fever in Children in Jeju Province, Korea, 2002-2016: An Age-period-cohort Analysis. J Prev Med Public Health 2019; 52:188-194. [PMID: 31163954 PMCID: PMC6549015 DOI: 10.3961/jpmph.18.299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Outbreaks of scarlet fever in Mexico in 1999, Hong Kong and mainland China in 2011, and England in 2014-2016 have received global attention, and the number of notified cases in Korean children, including in Jeju Province, has also increased since 2010. To identify relevant hypotheses regarding this emerging outbreak, an age-period-cohort (APC) analysis of scarlet fever incidence was conducted among children in Jeju Province, Korea. Methods: This study analyzed data from the nationwide insurance claims database administered by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. The inclusion criteria were children aged ≤14 years residing in Jeju Province, Korea who received any form of healthcare for scarlet fever from 2002 to 2016. The age and year variables were categorized into 5 groups, respectively. After calculating the crude incidence rate (CIR) for age and calendar year groups, the intrinsic estimator (IE) method was applied to conduct the APC analysis. Results: In total, 2345 cases were identified from 2002 to 2016. Scarlet fever was most common in the 0-2 age group, and boys presented more cases than girls. Since the CIR decreased with age between 2002 and 2016, the age and period effect decreased in all observed years. The IE coefficients suggesting a cohort effect shifted from negative to positive in 2009. Conclusions: The results suggest that the recent outbreak of scarlet fever among children in Jeju Province might be explained through the cohort effect. As children born after 2009 showed a higher risk of scarlet fever, further descriptive epidemiological studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhee Kim
- Jeju Center for Infection Control, Jeju, Korea
| | - Ji-Eun Kim
- Jeju Center for Infection Control, Jeju, Korea
| | - Jong-Myon Bae
- Jeju Center for Infection Control, Jeju, Korea.,Department of Preventive Medicine, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea
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28
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McShan WM, McCullor KA, Nguyen SV. The Bacteriophages of Streptococcus pyogenes. Microbiol Spectr 2019; 7:10.1128/microbiolspec.gpp3-0059-2018. [PMID: 31111820 PMCID: PMC11314938 DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.gpp3-0059-2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacteriophages of Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus) play a key role in population shaping, genetic transfer, and virulence of this bacterial pathogen. Lytic phages like A25 can alter population distributions through elimination of susceptible serotypes but also serve as key mediators for genetic transfer of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance via generalized transduction. The sequencing of multiple S. pyogenes genomes has uncovered a large and diverse population of endogenous prophages that are vectors for toxins and other virulence factors and occupy multiple attachment sites in the bacterial genomes. Some of these sites for integration appear to have the potential to alter the bacterial phenotype through gene disruption. Remarkably, the phage-like chromosomal islands (SpyCI), which share many characteristics with endogenous prophages, have evolved to mediate a growth-dependent mutator phenotype while acting as global transcriptional regulators. The diverse population of prophages appears to share a large pool of genetic modules that promotes novel combinations that may help disseminate virulence factors to different subpopulations of S. pyogenes. The study of the bacteriophages of this pathogen, both lytic and lysogenic, will continue to be an important endeavor for our understanding of how S. pyogenes continues to be a significant cause of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Michael McShan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73117
| | - Kimberly A McCullor
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73117
| | - Scott V Nguyen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73117
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29
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Rivera-Hernandez T, Carnathan DG, Jones S, Cork AJ, Davies MR, Moyle PM, Toth I, Batzloff MR, McCarthy J, Nizet V, Goldblatt D, Silvestri G, Walker MJ. An Experimental Group A Streptococcus Vaccine That Reduces Pharyngitis and Tonsillitis in a Nonhuman Primate Model. mBio 2019; 10:e00693-19. [PMID: 31040243 PMCID: PMC6495378 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00693-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections account for an estimated 500,000 deaths every year. This bacterial pathogen is responsible for a variety of mild and life-threatening infections and the triggering of chronic autoimmune sequelae. Pharyngitis caused by group A Streptococcus (GAS), but not asymptomatic GAS carriage, is a prerequisite for acute rheumatic fever (ARF). Repeated bouts of ARF may trigger rheumatic heart disease (RHD), a major cause of heart failure and stroke accounting for 275,000 deaths annually. A vaccine that prevents pharyngitis would markedly reduce morbidity and mortality from ARF and RHD. Nonhuman primates (NHPs) have been utilized to model GAS diseases, and experimentally infected rhesus macaques develop pharyngitis. Here we use an NHP model of GAS pharyngitis to evaluate the efficacy of an experimental vaccine, Combo5 (arginine deiminase [ADI], C5a peptidase [SCPA], streptolysin O [SLO], interleukin-8 [IL-8] protease [SpyCEP], and trigger factor [TF]), specifically designed to exclude GAS components potentially linked to autoimmune complications. Antibody responses against all Combo5 antigens were detected in NHP serum, and immunized NHPs showed a reduction in pharyngitis and tonsillitis compared to controls. Our work establishes the NHP model as a gold standard for the assessment of GAS vaccines.IMPORTANCE GAS-related diseases disproportionally affect disadvantaged populations (e.g., indigenous populations), and development of a vaccine has been neglected. A recent strong advocacy campaign driven by the World Health Organization and the International Vaccine Institute has highlighted the urgent need for a GAS vaccine. One significant obstacle in GAS vaccine development is the lack of a widely used animal model to assess vaccine efficacy. Researchers in the field use a wide range of murine models of infection and in vitro assays, sometimes yielding conflicting results. Here we present the nonhuman primate pharyngeal infection model as a tool to assess vaccine-induced protection against colonization and clinical symptoms of pharyngitis and tonsillitis. We have tested the efficacy of an experimental vaccine candidate with promising results. We believe that the utilization of this valuable tool by the GAS vaccine research community could significantly accelerate the realization of a safe and effective GAS vaccine for humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Rivera-Hernandez
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Diane G Carnathan
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Scott Jones
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda J Cork
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark R Davies
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Peter M Moyle
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Istvan Toth
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Michael R Batzloff
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - James McCarthy
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Victor Nizet
- Division of Host-Microbe Systems and Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - David Goldblatt
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Guido Silvestri
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mark J Walker
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
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Phosphorylation at the D53 but Not the T65 Residue of CovR Determines the Repression of rgg and speB Transcription in emm1- and emm49-Type Group A Streptococci. J Bacteriol 2019; 201:JB.00681-18. [PMID: 30478086 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00681-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
CovR/CovS is a two-component regulatory system in group A Streptococcus and primarily acts as a transcriptional repressor. The D53 residue of CovR (CovRD53) is phosphorylated by the sensor kinase CovS, and the phosphorylated CovRD53 protein binds to the intergenic region of rgg-speB to inhibit speB transcription. Nonetheless, the transcription of rgg and speB is suppressed in covS mutants. The T65 residue of CovR is phosphorylated in a CovS-independent manner, and phosphorylation at the D53 and T65 residues of CovR is mutually exclusive. Therefore, how phosphorylation at the D53 and T65 residues of CovR contributes to the regulation of rgg and speB expression was elucidated. The transcription of rgg and speB was suppressed in the strain that cannot phosphorylate the D53 residue of CovR (CovRD53A mutant) but restored to levels similar to those of the wild-type strain in the CovRT65A mutant. Nonetheless, inactivation of the T65 residue phosphorylation in the CovRD53A mutant cannot derepress the rgg and speB transcription, indicating that phosphorylation at the T65 residue of CovR is not required for repressing rgg and speB transcription. Furthermore, trans complementation of the CovRD53A protein in the strain that expresses the phosphorylated CovRD53 resulted in the repression of rgg and speB transcription. Unlike the direct binding of the phosphorylated CovRD53 protein and its inhibition of speB transcription demonstrated previously, the present study showed that inactivation of phosphorylation at the D53 residue of CovR contributes dominantly in suppressing rgg and speB transcription.IMPORTANCE CovR/CovS is a two-component regulatory system in group A Streptococcus (GAS). The D53 residue of CovR is phosphorylated by CovS, and the phosphorylated CovRD53 binds to the rgg-speB intergenic region and acts as the transcriptional repressor. Nonetheless, the transcription of rgg and Rgg-controlled speB is upregulated in the covR mutant but inhibited in the covS mutant. The present study showed that nonphosphorylated CovRD53 protein inhibits rgg and speB transcription in the presence of the phosphorylated CovRD53 in vivo, indicating that nonphosphorylated CovRD53 has a dominant role in suppressing rgg transcription. These results reveal the roles of nonphosphorylated CovRD53 in regulating rgg transcription, which could contribute significantly to invasive phenotypes of covS mutants.
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Bohlmann L, De Oliveira DMP, El-Deeb IM, Brazel EB, Harbison-Price N, Ong CLY, Rivera-Hernandez T, Ferguson SA, Cork AJ, Phan MD, Soderholm AT, Davies MR, Nimmo GR, Dougan G, Schembri MA, Cook GM, McEwan AG, von Itzstein M, McDevitt CA, Walker MJ. Chemical Synergy between Ionophore PBT2 and Zinc Reverses Antibiotic Resistance. mBio 2018; 9:e02391-18. [PMID: 30538186 PMCID: PMC6299484 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02391-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization reports that antibiotic-resistant pathogens represent an imminent global health disaster for the 21st century. Gram-positive superbugs threaten to breach last-line antibiotic treatment, and the pharmaceutical industry antibiotic development pipeline is waning. Here we report the synergy between ionophore-induced physiological stress in Gram-positive bacteria and antibiotic treatment. PBT2 is a safe-for-human-use zinc ionophore that has progressed to phase 2 clinical trials for Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease treatment. In combination with zinc, PBT2 exhibits antibacterial activity and disrupts cellular homeostasis in erythromycin-resistant group A Streptococcus (GAS), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE). We were unable to select for mutants resistant to PBT2-zinc treatment. While ineffective alone against resistant bacteria, several clinically relevant antibiotics act synergistically with PBT2-zinc to enhance killing of these Gram-positive pathogens. These data represent a new paradigm whereby disruption of bacterial metal homeostasis reverses antibiotic-resistant phenotypes in a number of priority human bacterial pathogens.IMPORTANCE The rise of bacterial antibiotic resistance coupled with a reduction in new antibiotic development has placed significant burdens on global health care. Resistant bacterial pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus are leading causes of community- and hospital-acquired infection and present a significant clinical challenge. These pathogens have acquired resistance to broad classes of antimicrobials. Furthermore, Streptococcus pyogenes, a significant disease agent among Indigenous Australians, has now acquired resistance to several antibiotic classes. With a rise in antibiotic resistance and reduction in new antibiotic discovery, it is imperative to investigate alternative therapeutic regimens that complement the use of current antibiotic treatment strategies. As stated by the WHO Director-General, "On current trends, common diseases may become untreatable. Doctors facing patients will have to say, Sorry, there is nothing I can do for you."
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Bohlmann
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - David M P De Oliveira
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Ibrahim M El-Deeb
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Erin B Brazel
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | | | - Cheryl-Lynn Y Ong
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Tania Rivera-Hernandez
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Scott A Ferguson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Amanda J Cork
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Minh-Duy Phan
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Amelia T Soderholm
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark R Davies
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Graeme R Nimmo
- Pathology Queensland Central Laboratory, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Gordon Dougan
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Mark A Schembri
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Gregory M Cook
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Alastair G McEwan
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark von Itzstein
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Christopher A McDevitt
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Mark J Walker
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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32
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Bessen DE, Smeesters PR, Beall BW. Molecular Epidemiology, Ecology, and Evolution of Group A Streptococci. Microbiol Spectr 2018; 6. [PMID: 30191802 DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.cpp3-0009-2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinico-epidemiological features of diseases caused by group A streptococci (GAS) is presented through the lens of the ecology, population genetics, and evolution of the organism. The serological targets of three typing schemes (M, T, SOF) are themselves GAS cell surface proteins that have a myriad of virulence functions and a diverse array of structural forms. Horizontal gene transfer expands the GAS antigenic cell surface repertoire by generating numerous combinations of M, T, and SOF antigens. However, horizontal gene transfer of the serotype determinant genes is not unconstrained, and therein lies a genetic organization that may signify adaptations to a narrow ecological niche, such as the primary tissue reservoirs of the human host. Adaptations may be further shaped by selection pressures such as herd immunity. Understanding the molecular evolution of GAS on multiple levels-short, intermediate, and long term-sheds insight on mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions, the emergence and spread of new clones, rational vaccine design, and public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debra E Bessen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595
| | - Pierre R Smeesters
- Department of Pediatrics, Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital, and Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, 1020, Belgium
| | - Bernard W Beall
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333
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Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes (or Group A Streptococcus, GAS) is a Gram-positive human pathogen responsible for a diverse array of superficial, invasive and immune-related diseases. GAS infections have historically been diseases of poverty and overcrowding, and remain a significant problem in the developing world and in disadvantaged populations within developed countries. With improved living conditions and access to antibiotics, the rates of GAS diseases in developed societies have gradually declined during the 20th century. However, genetic changes in circulating GAS strains and/or changes in host susceptibility to infection can lead to dramatic increases in the rates of specific diseases. No situations exemplify this more than the global upsurge of invasive GAS disease that originated in the 1980s and the regional increases in scarlet fever in north-east Asia and the UK. In each case, increased disease rates have been associated with the emergence of new GAS strains with increased disease-causing capability. Global surveillance for new GAS strains with increased virulence is important and determining why certain populations suddenly become susceptible to circulating strains remains a research priority. Here, we overview the changing epidemiology of GAS infections and the genetic alterations that accompany the emergence of GAS strains with increased capacity to cause disease.
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34
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Streptococcal group A, C and G pharyngitis in school children: a prospective cohort study in Southern India. Epidemiol Infect 2018; 146:848-853. [PMID: 29616606 DOI: 10.1017/s095026881800064x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Diagnosing streptococcal pharyngitis in children on the basis of clinical appearance and throat culture is complicated by high colonisation rates and by the ability of other pathogens to cause clinically similar disease. To characterise the epidemiology of Lancefield Group A, C and G β-haemolytic streptococcus (GAS, GCS and GGS, respectively) in children, we conducted a 2-year prospective study of 307 school children between 7 and 11 years old. GGS and GAS were commonly identified organisms both for silent streptococcal colonisation and symptomatic sore throat, while GCS was uncommonly found. Streptococcal culture positivity at the time of clinical pharyngitis was estimated to reflect true streptococcal pharyngitis in only 26% of instances, with the frequency varying from 54% for children rarely colonised to 1% for children frequently colonised. Numerous GAS emm types were identified, including several types previously associated with severe pharyngitis (e.g. emm types 1, 3 and 28). No severe complications were seen in any child. These data suggest that the clinical diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis is likely to remain difficult and that treatment decisions will remain clouded by uncertainty. There remains a need for organism-specific rapid point-of-care streptococcal diagnostic tests and tests that can distinguish between streptococcal colonisation and disease.
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35
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Endopeptidase PepO Regulates the SpeB Cysteine Protease and Is Essential for the Virulence of Invasive M1T1 Streptococcus pyogenes. J Bacteriol 2018; 200:JB.00654-17. [PMID: 29378883 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00654-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus [GAS]) causes a wide range of human infections. The pathogenesis of GAS infections is dependent on the temporal expression of numerous secreted and surface-associated virulence factors that interact with host proteins. Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B (SpeB) is one of the most extensively studied toxins produced by GAS, and the coordinate growth phase-dependent regulation of speB expression is linked to disease severity phenotypes. Here, we identified the endopeptidase PepO as a novel growth phase-dependent regulator of SpeB in the invasive GAS M1 serotype strain 5448. By using transcriptomics followed by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and Western blot analyses, we demonstrate through targeted mutagenesis that PepO influences growth phase-dependent induction of speB gene expression. Compared to wild-type and complemented mutant strains, we demonstrate that the 5448ΔpepO mutant strain is more susceptible to killing by human neutrophils and is attenuated in virulence in a murine model of invasive GAS infection. Our results expand the complex regulatory network that is operating in GAS to control SpeB production and suggest that PepO is a virulence requirement during GAS M1T1 strain 5448 infections.IMPORTANCE Despite the continuing susceptibility of S. pyogenes to penicillin, this bacterial pathogen remains a leading infectious cause of global morbidity and mortality. A particular subclone of the M1 serotype (M1T1) has persisted globally for decades as the most frequently isolated serotype from patients with invasive and noninvasive diseases in Western countries. One of the key GAS pathogenicity factors is the potent broad-spectrum cysteine protease SpeB. Although there has been extensive research interest on the regulatory mechanisms that control speB gene expression, its genetic regulation is not fully understood. Here, we identify the endopeptidase PepO as a new regulator of speB gene expression in the globally disseminated M1T1 clone and as being essential for virulence.
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36
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Shen Y, Cai J, Davies MR, Zhang C, Gao K, Qiao D, Jiang H, Yao W, Li Y, Zeng M, Chen M. Identification and Characterization of Fluoroquinolone Non-susceptible Streptococcus pyogenes Clones Harboring Tetracycline and Macrolide Resistance in Shanghai, China. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:542. [PMID: 29628918 PMCID: PMC5876283 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A Streptococcus (GAS), is one of the top 10 infectious causes of death worldwide. Macrolide and tetracycline resistant GAS has emerged as a major health concern in China coinciding with an ongoing scarlet fever epidemic. Furthermore, increasing rates of fluoroquinolone (FQ) non-susceptibility within GAS from geographical regions outside of China has also been reported. Fluoroquinolones are the third most commonly prescribed antibiotic in China and is an therapeutic alternative for multi-drug resistant GAS. The purpose of this study was to investigate the epidemiological and molecular features of GAS fluoroquinolone (FQ) non-susceptibility in Shanghai, China. GAS (n = 2,258) recovered between 2011 and 2016 from children and adults were tested for FQ-non-susceptibility. Efflux phenotype and mutations in parC, parE, gyrA, and gyrB were investigated and genetic relationships were determined by emm typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and phylogenetic analysis. The frequency of GAS FQ-non-susceptibility was 1.3% (30/2,258), with the phenotype more prevalent in GAS isolated from adults (14.3%) than from children (1.2%). Eighty percent (24/30) of FQ-non-susceptible isolates were also resistant to both macrolides (ermB) and tetracycline (tetM) including the GAS sequence types emm12, emm6, emm11, and emm1. Genomic fingerprinting analysis of the 30 isolates revealed that non-susceptibility may arise in various genetic backgrounds even within a single emm type. No efflux phenotype was observed in FQ non-susceptible isolates, and molecular analysis of the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) identified several sequence polymorphisms in ParC and ParE, and none in GyrA and GyrB. Expansion of this analysis to 152 publically available GAS whole genome sequences from Hong Kong predicted 7.9% (12/152) of Hong Kong isolates harbored a S79F ParC mutation, of which 66.7% (8/12) were macrolide and tetracycline resistant. Phylogenetic analysis of the parC QRDR sequences suggested the possibility that FQ resistance may be acquired through inter-species lateral gene transfer. This study reports the emergence of macrolide, tetracycline, and fluoroquinolone multidrug-resistant clones across several GAS emm types including emm1 and emm12, warranting continual surveillance given the extensive use of fluoroquinolones in clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinfang Shen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Pediatrics, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiehao Cai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mark R Davies
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China
| | - Kun Gao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xuhui Dahua Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Qiao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Ruijin Hospital (North), Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoqin Jiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weilei Yao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuefang Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mei Zeng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingliang Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.,Department of Microbiology, Shanghai Institutes of Preventive Medicine, Shanghai, China
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37
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Wong SSY, Yuen KY. The Comeback of Scarlet Fever. EBioMedicine 2018; 28:7-8. [PMID: 29396303 PMCID: PMC5835575 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Samson S Y Wong
- Department of Microbiology, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China.
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38
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Turner CE, Pyzio M, Song B, Lamagni T, Meltzer M, Chow JY, Efstratiou A, Curtis S, Sriskandan S. Scarlet Fever Upsurge in England and Molecular-Genetic Analysis in North-West London, 2014. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 22:1075-8. [PMID: 27192393 PMCID: PMC4880090 DOI: 10.3201/eid2206.151726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Scarlet fever notifications surged across the United Kingdom in spring 2014. Molecular epidemiologic investigation of Streptococcus pyogenes infections in North-West London highlighted increased emm4 and emm3 infections coincident with the upsurge. Unlike outbreaks in other countries, antimicrobial resistance was uncommon, highlighting an urgent need to better understand the drivers of scarlet fever activity.
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Scarlet Fever Epidemic in China Caused by Streptococcus pyogenes Serotype M12: Epidemiologic and Molecular Analysis. EBioMedicine 2018; 28:128-135. [PMID: 29342444 PMCID: PMC5835554 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
From 2011, Hong Kong and mainland China have witnessed a sharp increase in reported cases, with subsequent reports of epidemic scarlet fever in North Asia and the United Kingdom. Here we examine epidemiological data and investigate the genomic context of the predominantly serotype M12 Streptococcus pyogenes scarlet fever isolates from mainland China. Incident case data was obtained from the Chinese Nationwide Notifiable Infectious Diseases Reporting Information System. The relative risk of scarlet fever in recent outbreak years 2011–2016 was calculated using the median age-standardised incidence rate, compared to years 2003–2010 prior this outbreak. Whole genome sequencing was performed on 32 emm12 scarlet fever isolates and 13 emm12 non-scarlet fever isolates collected from different geographic regions of China, and compared with 203 published emm12 S. pyogenes genomes predominantly from scarlet fever outbreaks in Hong Kong (n = 134) and the United Kingdom (n = 63). We found during the outbreak period (2011–2016), the median age-standardised incidence in China was 4.14/100,000 (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.11-4.18), 2.62-fold higher (95% CI 2.57-2.66) than that of 1.58/100,000 (95% CI 1.56-1.61) during the baseline period prior to the outbreak (2003 − 2010). Highest incidence was reported for children 5 years of age (80.5/100,000). Streptococcal toxin encoding prophage φHKU.vir and φHKU.ssa in addition to the macrolide and tetracycline resistant ICE-emm12 and ICE-HKU397 elements were found amongst mainland China multi-clonal emm12 isolates suggesting a role in selection and expansion of scarlet fever lineages in China. Global dissemination of toxin encoded prophage has played a role in the expansion of scarlet fever emm12 clones. These findings emphasize the role of comprehensive surveillance approaches for monitoring of epidemic human disease. The study used all epidemiological data from 1950 to 2016, and describe increased incidence levels for the current outbreak. Using global emm12 scarlet fever isolate genome sequences, the multiclonal nature of the outbreak was confirmed. Global surveillance of GAS toxin and drug resistance mobile genes in the scarlet fever outbreak is necessary.
Our study provides a detailed report of scarlet fever epidemiology and genomic analysis for mainland China since the 2011 outbreak began. We also provide a comprehensive comparison of the genomic relationship of scarlet fever outbreak emm12 isolates from China, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, countries experiencing an unparalleled re-emergence of scarlet fever. Our observations implicate an important role for GAS toxin and drug resistance related mobile genes in the outbreak and reveal different evolutionary patterns, and identify common themes relating to the acquisition of toxin carrying prophage elements. This work emphasizes the importance of comprehensive nationwide surveillance to track scarlet fever, GAS emm types, exotoxin-encoding prophage and antibiotic resistance genes in a global context.
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40
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Ryu S, Chun BC. Investigation of Scarlet Fever Outbreak in a Kindergarten. Infect Chemother 2018; 50:38-42. [PMID: 29637751 PMCID: PMC5895829 DOI: 10.3947/ic.2018.50.1.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Scarlet fever is caused by a group A streptococcal (GAS) infection. On April 3, 2017, an outbreak among children in a kindergarten was reported to the local health department. An epidemiologic investigation was conducted to identify the possible transmission route of this outbreak and to recommend appropriate control measures. Materials and Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using questionnaires including age, sex, the classroom attended at a kindergarten, and date and type of symptoms developed. A case-patient is defined as a child having sore throat, fever, skin rash, or strawberry tongue with or without laboratory confirmation of GAS infection between March 28 and April 28, 2017. Results The index case-patients developed symptoms on March 28, 2017, and this outbreak persisted over a period of 16 days. The outbreak affected 21 out of 158 children (13.3%) in the kindergarten, with the mean age of 4.2 (range 3–5) years; 12 (57.1%) of them were boys. The common symptoms reported were fever (71.4%), sore throat (71.4%), reddened tonsil (57.1%), and skin rash (52.4%). The epidemiologic analysis showed that children attending one of the classrooms in the kindergarten were 14.12 times affected than the other classrooms (relative risk, 14.12; 95% confidence interval, 4.99–33.93; P <0.01). All case-patients were recommended to stay away from the kindergarten and its social activities for >24 hours after starting appropriate antibiotic treatment, and all the children in the kindergarten were instructed to keep strict personal hygiene practices. Conclusion Our results suggest that the outbreak likely affected from the index case-patients who attended to one of the classrooms in the kindergarten. This highlights the importance of immediate notification of outbreak to prevent large number of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukhyun Ryu
- Division of Infectious Disease Control, Gyeonggi Provincial Government, Suwon, Korea.,Department of Epidemiology and Medical Informatics, Graduate School of Public Health, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Byung Chul Chun
- Department of Epidemiology and Medical Informatics, Graduate School of Public Health, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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41
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Scarlet fever makes a comeback. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2017; 18:128-129. [PMID: 29191627 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(17)30694-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Resurgence of scarlet fever in England, 2014-16: a population-based surveillance study. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2017; 18:180-187. [PMID: 29191628 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(17)30693-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND After decades of decreasing scarlet fever incidence, a dramatic increase was seen in England beginning in 2014. Investigations were launched to assess clinical and epidemiological patterns and identify potential causes. METHODS In this population-based surveillance study, we analysed statutory scarlet fever notifications held by Public Health England from 1911 to 2016 in England and Wales to identify periods of sudden escalation of scarlet fever. Characteristics of cases and outbreaks in England including frequency of complications and hospital admissions were assessed and compared with the pre-upsurge period. Isolates from throat swabs were obtained and were emm typed. FINDINGS Data were retrieved for our analysis between Jan 1, 1911, and Dec 31, 2016. Population rates of scarlet fever increased by a factor of three between 2013 and 2014 from 8·2 to 27·2 per 100 000 (rate ratio [RR] 3·34, 95% CI 3·23-3·45; p<0·0001); further increases were observed in 2015 (30·6 per 100 000) and in 2016 (33·2 per 100 000), which reached the highest number of cases (19 206) and rate of scarlet fever notifcation since 1967. The median age of cases in 2014 was 4 years (IQR 3-7) with an incidence of 186 per 100 000 children under age 10 years. All parts of England saw an increase in incidence, with 620 outbreaks reported in 2016. Hospital admissions for scarlet fever increased by 97% between 2013 and 2016; one in 40 cases were admitted for management of the condition or potential complications. Analysis of strains (n=303) identified a diversity of emm types with emm3 (43%), emm12 (15%), emm1 (11%), and emm4 (9%) being the most common. Longitudinal analysis identified 4-yearly periodicity in population incidence of scarlet fever but of consistently lower magnitude than the current escalation. INTERPRETATION England is experiencing an unprecedented rise in scarlet fever with the highest incidence for nearly 50 years. Reasons for this escalation are unclear and identifying these remains a public health priority. FUNDING None.
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43
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Chen M, Wang W, Tu L, Zheng Y, Pan H, Wang G, Chen Y, Zhang X, Zhu L, Chen J, Chen M. An emm5 Group A Streptococcal Outbreak Among Workers in a Factory Manufacturing Telephone Accessories. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1156. [PMID: 28680421 PMCID: PMC5478724 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ranked among the top10 infectious causes of death worldwide, group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes small- and large-scale outbreaks, depending on the trigger as transmission of a GAS strain or expansion of predominant clones. In China, GAS infections other than scarlet fever are not notifiable. In Shanghai, an epidemiological investigation was initiated after two successive severe pneumonia cases with one death in a digital factory, from where outbreaks are less widely reported. The investigation was performed using emm typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing, superantigen profiling, and genome analysis. This enabled characterization of relatedness among the outbreak isolates and identification of the mobile genetic elements present. Among 57 patients with respiratory symptoms investigated in the factory, emm5 GAS strains were isolated from 8 patients. The eight GAS infection cases comprising one fatal severe pneumonia case, six influenza-like illness cases, and one pharyngitis case. Two risk factors were identified: adult with an age of 18–20 years and close contact with a GAS patient or carrier. GAS attack rate was 14.0% (8/57), and GAS carriage rate was probably around 2.7% (14/521) based on surveys in two nearby districts. All the 10 outbreak associated isolates were assigned to emm5 and sequence type ST-99 (emm5/ST-99), harbored superantigen genes speC, speG, and smeZ, and were assigned to two similar PFGE patterns (clones). Among the outbreak associated isolates, all carried ermA with resistance to erythromycin and inducible resistance to clindamycin, and eight (80%) carried a tetM gene with resistance to tetracycline. Among the 14 carriage isolates, 12 were emm12/ST-36, and 2 were emm1/ST-28, all with superantigen genes speC, speG, ssa, and smeZ. All the carriage isolates harbored ermB and tetM with resistance to erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline. Genome analysis showed the two outbreak clones were closely related and possessed new prophages carrying virulence gene sdc and antibiotic resistance genes of ermA and tetM, which were not found in the emm5 reference strain Manfredo. This is the first report of a GAS outbreak in this type of workplace. The outbreak was caused by two closely related emm5 clones that differed from the predominant emm types circulating in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingliang Chen
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghai, China.,Shanghai Institutes of Preventive MedicineShanghai, China
| | - Wenqing Wang
- Pudong New Area Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghai, China
| | - Lihong Tu
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghai, China
| | - Yaxu Zheng
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghai, China
| | - Hao Pan
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghai, China
| | - Gangyi Wang
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghai, China
| | - Yanxin Chen
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghai, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghai, China
| | - Linying Zhu
- Pudong New Area Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghai, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghai, China
| | - Min Chen
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghai, China
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Duan Y, Yang LJ, Zhang YJ, Huang XL, Pan GX, Wang J. Effects of meteorological factors on incidence of scarlet fever during different periods in different districts of China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 581-582:19-24. [PMID: 28073056 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 12/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To reveal the difference of meteorological effect on scarlet fever in Beijing and Hong Kong, China, during different periods among 2004-2014. METHODS The data of monthly incidence of scarlet fever and meteorological variables from 2004 to 2014 in Beijing and Hong Kong were collected from Chinese science data center of public health, meteorological data website and Hong Kong observatory website. The whole study period was separated into two periods by the outbreak year 2011 (Jan 2004-Dec 2010 and Jan 2011-Dec 2014). A generalized additive Poisson model was conducted to estimate the effect of meteorological variables on monthly incidence of scarlet fever during two periods in Beijing and Hong Kong, China. RESULTS Incidence of scarlet fever in two districts were compared and found the average incidence during period of 2004-2010 were significantly different (Z=203.973, P<0.001) while average incidence became generally equal during 2011-2014 (Z=2.125, P>0.05). There was also significant difference in meteorological variables between Beijing and Hong Kong during whole study period, except air pressure (Z=0.165, P=0.869). After fitting GAM model, it could be found monthly mean temperature showed a negative effect (RR=0.962, 95%CI: 0.933, 0.992) on scarlet fever in Hong Kong during the period of 2004-2010. By comparison, for data in Beijing during the period of 2011-2014, the RRs of monthly mean temperature range growing 1°C and monthly sunshine duration growing 1h was equal to 1.196(1.022, 1.399) and 1.006(1.001, 1.012), respectively. The changes of meteorological effect on scarlet fever over time were not significant both in Beijing and Hong Kong. CONCLUSION This study suggests that meteorological variables were important factors for incidence of scarlet fever during different period in Beijing and Hong Kong. It also support that some meteorological effects were opposite in different period although these differences might not completely statistically significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Duan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Li-Juan Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yan-Jie Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Xiao-Lei Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Gui-Xia Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
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Bao YJ, Liang Z, Mayfield JA, McShan WM, Lee SW, Ploplis VA, Castellino FJ. Novel genomic rearrangements mediated by multiple genetic elements in Streptococcus pyogenes M23ND confer potential for evolutionary persistence. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2016; 162:1346-1359. [PMID: 27329479 PMCID: PMC5903213 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Symmetric genomic rearrangements around replication axes in genomes are commonly observed in prokaryotic genomes, including Group A Streptococcus (GAS). However, asymmetric rearrangements are rare. Our previous studies showed that the hypervirulent invasive GAS strain, M23ND, containing an inactivated transcriptional regulator system, covRS, exhibits unique extensive asymmetric rearrangements, which reconstructed a genomic structure distinct from other GAS genomes. In the current investigation, we identified the rearrangement events and examined the genetic consequences and evolutionary implications underlying the rearrangements. By comparison with a close phylogenetic relative, M18-MGAS8232, we propose a molecular model wherein a series of asymmetric rearrangements have occurred in M23ND, involving translocations, inversions and integrations mediated by multiple factors, viz., rRNA-comX (factor for late competence), transposons and phage-encoded gene segments. Assessments of the cumulative gene orientations and GC skews reveal that the asymmetric genomic rearrangements did not affect the general genomic integrity of the organism. However, functional distributions reveal re-clustering of a broad set of CovRS-regulated actively transcribed genes, including virulence factors and metabolic genes, to the same leading strand, with high confidence (p-value ~10-10). The re-clustering of the genes suggests a potential selection advantage for the spatial proximity to the transcription complexes, which may contain the global transcriptional regulator, CovRS, and other RNA polymerases. Their proximities allow for efficient transcription of the genes required for growth, virulence and persistence. A new paradigm of survival strategies of GAS strains is provided through multiple genomic rearrangements, while, at the same time, maintaining genomic integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Juan Bao
- W. M. Keck Center for Transgene Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Zhong Liang
- W. M. Keck Center for Transgene Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Mayfield
- W. M. Keck Center for Transgene Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - William M. McShan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Shaun W. Lee
- W. M. Keck Center for Transgene Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Victoria A. Ploplis
- W. M. Keck Center for Transgene Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Francis J. Castellino
- W. M. Keck Center for Transgene Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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Brouwer S, Barnett TC, Rivera-Hernandez T, Rohde M, Walker MJ. Streptococcus pyogenes adhesion and colonization. FEBS Lett 2016; 590:3739-3757. [PMID: 27312939 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Revised: 06/10/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus, GAS) is a human-adapted pathogen responsible for a wide spectrum of disease. GAS can cause relatively mild illnesses, such as strep throat or impetigo, and less frequent but severe life-threatening diseases such as necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. GAS is an important public health problem causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The main route of GAS transmission between humans is through close or direct physical contact, and particularly via respiratory droplets. The upper respiratory tract and skin are major reservoirs for GAS infections. The ability of GAS to establish an infection in the new host at these anatomical sites primarily results from two distinct physiological processes, namely bacterial adhesion and colonization. These fundamental aspects of pathogenesis rely upon a variety of GAS virulence factors, which are usually under strict transcriptional regulation. Considerable progress has been made in better understanding these initial infection steps. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of GAS adhesion and colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Brouwer
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Timothy C Barnett
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Tania Rivera-Hernandez
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Manfred Rohde
- Central Facility for Microscopy, Helmholtz Centre For Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Mark J Walker
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego O Andrey
- a Service of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Specialties , Geneva University Hospitals & University of Geneva Medical School , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Klara M Posfay-Barbe
- b Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Pediatrics , Geneva University Hospitals & University of Geneva Medical School , Geneva , Switzerland
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48
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Galloway-Peña J, Clement ME, Sharma Kuinkel BK, Ruffin F, Flores AR, Levinson H, Shelburne SA, Moore Z, Fowler VG. Application of Whole-Genome Sequencing to an Unusual Outbreak of Invasive Group A Streptococcal Disease. Open Forum Infect Dis 2016; 3:ofw042. [PMID: 27006966 PMCID: PMC4800461 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofw042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole-genome analysis was applied to investigate atypical point-source transmission of 2 invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) infections. Isolates were serotype M4, ST39, and genetically indistinguishable. Comparison with MGAS10750 revealed nonsynonymous polymorphisms in ropB and increased speB transcription. This study demonstrates the usefulness of whole-genome analyses for GAS outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Galloway-Peña
- Department of Infectious Disease Infection Control and Employee Health , MD Anderson Cancer Center , Houston, Texas
| | - Meredith E Clement
- Division of Infectious Diseases , Duke University Medical Center , Durham, North Carolina
| | - Batu K Sharma Kuinkel
- Division of Infectious Diseases , Duke University Medical Center , Durham, North Carolina
| | - Felicia Ruffin
- Division of Infectious Diseases , Duke University Medical Center , Durham, North Carolina
| | - Anthony R Flores
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics , Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital , Houston
| | - Howard Levinson
- Departments of Surgery, Dermatology, and Pathology , Duke University Medical Center , Durham
| | - Samuel A Shelburne
- Department of Infectious Disease Infection Control and Employee Health , MD Anderson Cancer Center , Houston, Texas
| | - Zack Moore
- North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Raleigh
| | - Vance G Fowler
- Division of Infectious Diseases , Duke University Medical Center , Durham, North Carolina
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49
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Euler CW, Juncosa B, Ryan PA, Deutsch DR, McShan WM, Fischetti VA. Targeted Curing of All Lysogenic Bacteriophage from Streptococcus pyogenes Using a Novel Counter-selection Technique. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0146408. [PMID: 26756207 PMCID: PMC4710455 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes is a human commensal and a bacterial pathogen responsible for a wide variety of human diseases differing in symptoms, severity, and tissue tropism. The completed genome sequences of >37 strains of S. pyogenes, representing diverse disease-causing serotypes, have been published. The greatest genetic variation among these strains is attributed to numerous integrated prophage and prophage-like elements, encoding several virulence factors. A comparison of isogenic strains, differing in prophage content, would reveal the effects of these elements on streptococcal pathogenesis. However, curing strains of prophage is often difficult and sometimes unattainable. We have applied a novel counter-selection approach to identify rare S. pyogenes mutants spontaneously cured of select prophage. To accomplish this, we first inserted a two-gene cassette containing a gene for kanamycin resistance (KanR) and the rpsL wild-type gene, responsible for dominant streptomycin sensitivity (SmS), into a targeted prophage on the chromosome of a streptomycin resistant (SmR) mutant of S. pyogenes strain SF370. We then applied antibiotic counter-selection for the re-establishment of the KanS/SmR phenotype to select for isolates cured of targeted prophage. This methodology allowed for the precise selection of spontaneous phage loss and restoration of the natural phage attB attachment sites for all four prophage-like elements in this S. pyogenes chromosome. Overall, 15 mutants were constructed that encompassed every permutation of phage knockout as well as a mutant strain, named CEM1ΔΦ, completely cured of all bacteriophage elements (a ~10% loss of the genome); the only reported S. pyogenes strain free of prophage-like elements. We compared CEM1ΔΦ to the WT strain by analyzing differences in secreted DNase activity, as well as lytic and lysogenic potential. These mutant strains should allow for the direct examination of bacteriophage relationships within S. pyogenes and further elucidate how the presence of prophage may affect overall streptococcal survival, pathogenicity, and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad W. Euler
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, NY, NY, 10065, United States of America
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Belfer Research Building, Hunter College, CUNY, New York, NY, 10065, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, United States of America
- * E-mail: ;
| | - Barbara Juncosa
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, NY, NY, 10065, United States of America
| | - Patricia A. Ryan
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, NY, NY, 10065, United States of America
| | - Douglas R. Deutsch
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, NY, NY, 10065, United States of America
| | - W. Michael McShan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73117, United States of America
| | - Vincent A. Fischetti
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, NY, NY, 10065, United States of America
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Transfer of scarlet fever-associated elements into the group A Streptococcus M1T1 clone. Sci Rep 2015; 5:15877. [PMID: 26522788 PMCID: PMC4629146 DOI: 10.1038/srep15877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The group A Streptococcus (GAS) M1T1 clone emerged in the 1980s as a leading cause of epidemic invasive infections worldwide, including necrotizing fasciitis and toxic shock syndrome123. Horizontal transfer of mobile genetic elements has played a central role in the evolution of the M1T1 clone45, with bacteriophage-encoded determinants DNase Sda16 and superantigen SpeA27 contributing to enhanced virulence and colonization respectively. Outbreaks of scarlet fever in Hong Kong and China in 2011, caused primarily by emm12 GAS8910, led to our investigation of the next most common cause of scarlet fever, emm1 GAS89. Genomic analysis of 18 emm1 isolates from Hong Kong and 16 emm1 isolates from mainland China revealed the presence of mobile genetic elements associated with the expansion of emm12 scarlet fever clones1011 in the M1T1 genomic background. These mobile genetic elements confer expression of superantigens SSA and SpeC, and resistance to tetracycline, erythromycin and clindamycin. Horizontal transfer of mobile DNA conferring multi-drug resistance and expression of a new superantigen repertoire in the M1T1 clone should trigger heightened public health awareness for the global dissemination of these genetic elements.
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