Genetic and phenotypic features of Streptococcus pyogenes strains isolated in Brazil that harbor new emm sequences

In the present study, 37 group A Streptococcus (GAS) strains belonging to 13 new emm sequence types identified among GAS strains randomly isolated in Brazil were characterized by using phenotypic and genotypic methods. The new types were designated st204, st211, st213, st809, st833, st854, st2904, st2911, st2917, st2926, st3757, st3765, and st6735. All isolates were susceptible to the antimicrobial agents tested, except to tetracycline. They all carried the speB gene, and 94.6% produced detectable SpeB. Most strains belonging to a given emm type had similar or highly related pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles that were distinct from profiles of strains of another type. The other characteristics were variable from isolate to isolate, although some associations were consistently found within some emm types. Unlike the other isolates, all type st213 isolates were speA positive and produced SpeA. Strains belonging to st3765 were T6 and opacity factor (OF) negative. Individual isolates within OF-positive emm types were associated with unique sof gene sequence types, while OF-negative isolates were sof negative by PCR. This report provides information on new emm sequence types first detected in GAS isolates from a geographic area not extensively surveyed. Such data can contribute to a better understanding of the local and global dynamics of GAS populations and of the epidemiological aspects of GAS infections occurring in tropical regions.