Ann Lab Med.  2017 Jul;37(4):297-304. 10.3343/alm.2017.37.4.297.

Prevalence of Complement-Mediated Cell Lysis-like Gene (sicG) in Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis Isolates From Japan (2014–2016)

• Takahashi
• Fujita T
• Shibayama
• Tsuyuki Y
• Yoshida H

• KMID: 2376785
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3343/alm.2017.37.4.297

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE; a β-hemolytic streptococcus of human or animal origin) infections are emerging worldwide. We evaluated the clonal distribution of complement-mediated cell lysis-like gene (sicG) among SDSE isolates from three central prefectures of Japan.
METHODS
Group G/C β-hemolytic streptococci were collected from three institutions from April 2014 to March 2016. Fifty-five strains (52 from humans and three from animals) were identified as SDSE on the basis of 16S rRNA sequencing data.; they were obtained from 25 sterile (blood, joint fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid) and 30 non-sterile (skin-, respiratory tract-, and genitourinary tract-origin) samples. emm genotyping, multilocus sequence typing, sicG amplification/sequencing, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of sicG-positive strains were performed.
RESULTS
sicG was detected in 30.9% of the isolates (16 human and one canine) and the genes from the 16 human samples (blood, 10; open pus, 3; sputum, 2; throat swab, 1) and one canine sample (open pus) showed the same sequence pattern. All sicG-harboring isolates belonged to clonal complex (CC) 17, and the most prevalent emm type was stG6792 (82.4%). There was a significant association between sicG presence and the development of skin/soft tissue infections. CC17 isolates with sicG could be divided into three subtypes by RAPD analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
CC17 SDSE harboring sicG might have spread into three closely-related prefectures in central Japan during 2014-2016. Clonal analysis of isolates from other areas might be needed to monitor potentially virulent strains in humans and animals.

Keyword

Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis; Complement-mediated cell lysis-like gene; Clonal complex; emm genotype; Skin and soft tissue infections; Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis; Japan

MeSH Terms

Animals
DNA
Humans
Japan*
Joints
Multilocus Sequence Typing
Pharynx
Prevalence*
Sputum
Streptococcus*
Suppuration
DNA

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Multi-alignments of isolate 6 (dog), isolate 14 (human), isolate 17 (human), strain RE378, and strain TK01. These alignments were generated with CLUSTAL W version 2.1 (latest version) (http://clustalw.ddbj.nig.ac.jp/).

• 

  Fig. 2 Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis of Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis isolates with streptococcal inhibitor of complement-mediated cell lysis-like gene (sicG), using three different primers: H2, P5, and P6. Abbreviations: M, marker; A, ATCC 12394.

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