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Population structure of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in Italy prior to the implementation of the 7-valent conjugate vaccine (1999–2003)

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Abstract

A total of 773 pneumococcal isolates were collected from a nationwide surveillance of invasive pneumococcal diseases during 1999–2003 prior to the implementation of the 7-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV7) in Italy. The isolates included vaccine serotypes (VS, 393 isolates), vaccine-related serotypes (VRS, 93), and nonvaccine serotypes (NVS, 279). The ten most prevalent serotypes were: 14 (16.4%), 3 (8.4%), 23F (8%), 19F (7.4%), 4 (5.9%), 7F (5.8%), 9V (5.3%), 6B (4.9%), 19A (4.7%), and 1 (3.7%). VRS or NVS isolates showed a lower rate of penicillin or drug resistance than VS. Representative isolates of the major VS, VRS, and NVS were genotyped by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The isolates examined were found to belong to 18 international clones and to eight newly described clones. VS isolates sharing clonal groups with VRS or NVS were also detected. Evidence of a past history of capsular switching events was observed in five clones.

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Abbreviations

PCV7:

7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

VS:

Vaccine serotypes

VRS:

Vaccine-related serotypes

NVS:

Nonvaccine serotypes

IPD:

Invasive pneumococcal diseases

PFGE:

Pulsed field gel electrophoresis

PNSSP:

Penicillin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae

DR-PSSP:

Drug-resistant penicillin-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae

DSSP:

Drug-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae

MLST:

Multilocus sequence typing

ST:

Sequence type

PMEN:

Pneumococcal Molecular Epidemiology Network

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank all the collaborators of the surveillance studies who have provided Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates.

This study was supported in part by a grant from the Italian Ministry of Health, CCM project “Laboratory-based surveillance of infections due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy

    F. D’Ambrosio, M. Monaco, R. Camilli & A. Pantosti

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128, Rome, Italy

    G. Gherardi, L. De Florio & G. Dicuonzo

  3. Centro Nazionale di Epidemiologia, Sorveglianza e Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy

    F. D’Ancona

Authors
  1. G. Gherardi
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  2. F. D’Ambrosio
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  3. M. Monaco
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  4. R. Camilli
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  5. L. De Florio
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  6. F. D’Ancona
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  7. G. Dicuonzo
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  8. A. Pantosti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Gherardi.

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Gherardi, G., D’Ambrosio, F., Monaco, M. et al. Population structure of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in Italy prior to the implementation of the 7-valent conjugate vaccine (1999–2003). Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 28, 99–103 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-008-0581-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-008-0581-8

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