Open AccessA Mobile Genetic Element Promotes the Association Between Serotype M28 Group A Streptococcus Isolates and Cases of Puerperal Sepsis
Author(s) -
Ira Jain,
Poulomee Sarkar,
Jessica L. Danger,
Josette Medicielo,
Roshika Tyagi,
Gregory Calfee,
Anupama Ramalinga,
Cameron Burgess,
Paul Sumby
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the journal of infectious diseases (online. university of chicago press)/the journal of infectious diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.69
H-Index - 252
eISSN - 1537-6613
pISSN - 0022-1899
DOI - 10.1093/infdis/jiz195
Subject(s) - serotype , sepsis , virulence , biology , streptococcus , group b , puerperal infection , group a , microbiology and biotechnology , mobile genetic elements , streptococcus agalactiae , virology , genetics , gene , bacteria , immunology , medicine , genome , pregnancy
Bacterial infections following childbirth-so-called puerperal infections-cause morbidity in 5%-10% of all new mothers. At low frequency, the infection can spread to the blood, resulting in life-threatening sepsis known as puerperal sepsis. Pathogens causing puerperal sepsis include group A Streptococcus (GAS), and epidemiological analyses have identified isolates of a single serotype, M28, as being nonrandomly associated with cases of puerperal sepsis. The genomes of serotype M28 GAS isolates harbor a 36.3-kb mobile genetic element of apparent group B Streptococcus origin, termed region of difference 2 (RD2).