Hypervirulent emm59 Clone in Invasive Group A Streptococcus Outbreak, Southwestern United States

Emerg Infect Dis. 2016 Apr;22(4):734-8. doi: 10.3201/eid2204.151582.

Abstract

The hyper-virulent emm59 genotype of invasive group A Streptococcus was identified in northern Arizona in 2015. Eighteen isolates belonging to a genomic cluster grouped most closely with recently identified isolates in New Mexico. The continued transmission of emm59 in the southwestern United States poses a public health concern.

Keywords: Arizona; California; Canada; GAS; Minnesota; Native Americans; New Mexico; Oregon; bacteria; emm59; genomic epidemiology; group A Streptococcus; polytomy WGST; pyogenes; southwestern United States; streptococci.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Clone Cells
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Female
  • Genome, Bacterial*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Phylogeny*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Risk Factors
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Southwestern United States / epidemiology
  • Streptococcal Infections / diagnosis
  • Streptococcal Infections / epidemiology*
  • Streptococcal Infections / pathology
  • Streptococcal Infections / transmission
  • Streptococcus / classification
  • Streptococcus / genetics
  • Streptococcus / isolation & purification
  • Streptococcus / pathogenicity*
  • Virulence

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial