dna sequencing is the most conclusive method for emm (m protein gene) typing of streptococcus pyogenes. this method is not a feasible approach in developing countries where streptococcal infection is widespread among adults and children. alternatively the pcr-rflp has the potential for rapid screening of different types of s. pyogenes. to document the emm type distribution of s. pyogenes in a g...

We conducted a nationwide surveillance of the variable 5' emm-like (M-like protein gene) sequences from 214 pharyngeal group C and group G streptococci. Almost 75% of the isolates exhibited emm or emm-like sequences previously described. We identified six new 5' emm-like regions, and almost 23% of the isolates were nontypeable. Five emm-like sequences accounted for more than 50% of the isolates...

Objective(s): Streptococcus pyogenes, a notorious human pathogen is responsible to cause a wide range of infections varies from superficial common clinical illness to severe and life threatening infections. To our knowledge this is the first report exploring the emm types and superantigen/exotoxin gene profile of S. pyogenes from Pakistan. Materials a...

The emm genes are members of a gene family in group A streptococci (GAS) that encode for antiphagocytic cell-surface proteins and/or immunoglobulin-binding proteins. Previously sequenced genes in this family have been named "emm," "fcrA," "enn," "arp," "protH," and "mrp"; herein they will be referred to as the "emm gene family." The genes in the emm family are located in a cluster occupying 3-6...

Group A streptococci have a virulence regulon containing a single emm locus or two or three distinct and adjacent loci of structurally related emm family genes. The products of the emm gene cluster consist of fibrillar surface proteins, at least some of which are known to contain determinants of type specificity located in their NH2-terminal regions, lying distal to the cell surface. The emm ge...

Because of the allelic variations within the M protein gene (emm gene) of group A streptococci, reliable typing of this important human pathogen can be accomplished by the use of emm gene-specific oligonucleotide probes. Two technical modifications (a reverse dot blot and a reverse line blot hybridization assay) of a novel approach for the type-specific identification of emm genes have been dev...

In a study assessing genetic diversity, 114 group A streptococcus (GAS) isolates were recovered from pediatric pharyngitis patients in Rome, Italy. These isolates comprised 22 different M protein gene (emm) sequence types, 14 of which were associated with a distinct serum opacity factor/fibronectin binding protein gene (sof) sequence type. Isolates with the same emm gene sequence type generally...

A recent study by Bidet et al. (1) reported the molecular epidemiology of the streptococcal invasive locus (sil) in the group A streptococcus (GAS), an organism which caused invasive infections in French children. The authors demonstrated the prevalence of emm type toxin genotypes among 74 invasive GAS isolates from French children. The authors PCR amplified and characterized the locus DNA of s...

The aim of this study is to evaluate antibiotic susceptibilities, emm gene types, toxin gene profiles and clonal relatedness of group A streptococci (GAS) isolates obtained from patients and carriers. A total of 79 clinical isolates from patients and 60 isolates from carriers were included in the study. Emm typing, toxin gene detection for speA, speB, speC, speG and smeZ genes and pulsed-field ...