Molecular and phenotypic characterization of invasive group B streptococcus strains from infants in Norway 2006-2007

Clin Microbiol Infect. 2009 Dec;15(12):1182-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2009.02789.x. Epub 2009 May 16.

Abstract

Multilocus sequence typing of an almost complete collection of invasive group B streptococcus (GBS) strains from infants in Norway, conducted in 2006-2007, revealed 27 sequence types (ST), of which 23 clustered into five clonal complexes. The case fatality rate of invasive GBS disease in infants was 16/98 (16.3%). Type V strains were predominant among strains resistant to erythromycin and clindamycin (11/18; 61.1%). All type V strains from fatal cases (5/16) were ST1, resistant to erythromycin and clindamycin, and belonged to three pulsed-field gel electrophoresis-clusters. Further analysis of virulence characteristics of these apparently highly virulent subtypes of type V, ST1 GBS strains is warranted.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Clindamycin / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Erythromycin / pharmacology
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Norway / epidemiology
  • Phenotype
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Streptococcal Infections* / epidemiology
  • Streptococcal Infections* / microbiology
  • Streptococcal Infections* / mortality
  • Streptococcus agalactiae / classification*
  • Streptococcus agalactiae / drug effects
  • Streptococcus agalactiae / genetics*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Clindamycin
  • Erythromycin