Open AccessIdentification of epidemic scarlet fever group A Streptococcus strains in the paediatric population of Houston, TX, USA
Author(s) -
M. Belen Cubria,
J.B González Delgado,
Brittany J. Shah,
Misu A. Sanson,
Anthony R. Flores
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
access microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2516-8290
DOI - 10.1099/acmi.0.000274
Subject(s) - streptococcus pyogenes , outbreak , biology , virology , population , streptococcus , whole genome sequencing , antimicrobial , genome , scarlet fever , antibiotic resistance , group a , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , genetics , gene , bacteria , antibiotics , staphylococcus aureus , environmental health , pathology
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.