Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2025
Genome-wide Gene Deletions in Streptococcus sanguinis by High Throughput PCR
Published on: November 23, 2012
Group B streptococci (GBS) strains evading molecular diagnostics showed novel chromosomal deletions encompassing the
Roberta Creti1, Monica Imperi2, Andrea Stanziale3
1Antibiotic Resistance and Special Pathogens Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299 -, 00161, Rome, Italy. roberta.creti@iss.it.
Abstract:
A highly conserved fragment adjacent to the cfb gene encoding the CAMP factor is the target of PCR-based molecular diagnostic systems for the identification of S. agalactiae (group B streptococci (GBS)). Six PCR-negative, culture-positive GBS strains were whole genome sequenced to assess why they escaped molecular diagnostics. GBS strains did not constitute a clonal cluster and presented variably sized chromosomal deletions (from 7 to 33 kb) which always included the cfb gene, a finding never described before. GBS strains that escape molecular diagnostics are considered rare; however, they can cause false-negative results using molecular diagnostics alone, affecting medical decisions.
