von Both Ulrich, John Andrea, Fluegge Kirsten, Siedler Anette, Berner Reinhard
Centre for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2008 Oct;27(10):903-6. doi: 10.1097/INF.0b013e318178d1ff.
Streptococcus agalactiae [group B streptococcus (GBS)] is a well-known cause of invasive infections leading to sepsis and meningitis in neonates. A comprehensive nationwide active surveillance study over 2 years was performed in Germany to describe the molecular epidemiology among 296 invasive neonatal GBS isolates.
Isolates were typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Typing results were compared with serotypes as well as to clinical data on disease onset, meningitic involvement, and outcome.
A remarkable clustering was found with about 60% of all typeable invasive isolates being annotated to one of 7 major PFGE groups, and clusters being nationally widely spread over the whole time period. Despite heterogenic elements, certain PFGE groups were closely related to singular serotypes, especially serotypes V (82%), Ia (84%), and Ib (77%). PFGE groups and serotypes were also partly related to clinical presentation as either early onset disease or late onset disease, and either meningitis or nonmeningitic GBS disease, but not to outcome.
There is a remarkable clonality among invasive GBS isolates that are widely spread geographically and in time; however, no specific clonal lines could be correlated to disease severity and outcome.
无乳链球菌[B族链球菌（GBS）]是导致新生儿败血症和脑膜炎等侵袭性感染的常见病因。德国开展了一项为期两年的全国性综合主动监测研究，以描述296株侵袭性新生儿GBS分离株的分子流行病学特征。
采用脉冲场凝胶电泳（PFGE）对分离株进行分型。将分型结果与血清型以及疾病发病、脑膜炎累及情况和转归的临床数据进行比较。
发现了显著的聚集现象，所有可分型的侵袭性分离株中约60%被归为7个主要PFGE组之一，且这些聚类在整个时间段内广泛分布于全国。尽管存在异质性因素，但某些PFGE组与单一血清型密切相关，尤其是血清型V（82%）、Ia（84%）和Ib（77%）。PFGE组和血清型也部分与早发型疾病或晚发型疾病、脑膜炎或非脑膜炎GBS疾病的临床表现有关，但与转归无关。
侵袭性GBS分离株存在显著的克隆性，在地理和时间上广泛传播；然而，没有特定的克隆系与疾病严重程度和转归相关。
