Group A streptococcal infection caused by emm1 strains among children in southern Taiwan

The aim of this study was to characterize the molecular epidemiology of invasive and non-invasive group A streptococcus (GAS) infections in children from 1997 through 2004 in southern Taiwan. A collection of 32 invasive and 150 non-invasive isolates were recruited for analysis. emm1 (34.4%) and emm12 (40.0%) predominated in the invasive and non-invasive isolates, respectively. The peak incidence of invasive GAS infection (IGASI) occurred between 2002 and 2003. emm4 and emm12 were the major types among clinical isolates before 2001, and was replaced by emm1 during 2002–2003. All emm1 isolates were clonal relatedness. The declined prevalence of erythromycin resistance occurred in the major shift of the endemic isolates to emm1 strains during 2002–2003 in the community.