High-Level Genetic Diversity among Invasive <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> Isolates in Turkey

Abstract

SUMMARY: This study obtained information on the serotypes and molecular typing characteristics of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains causing invasive diseases in Turkey. Sixty-eight S. pneumoniae isolates causing invasive pneumococcal diseases were collected from different regions of Turkey from 2009 to 2011. The isolates were characterized by performing multilocus sequence typing (MLST), pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and capsular serotyping, and 25 different serotypes were identified. Serotypes 19F, 23F, 1, 14, and 7F were common and accounted for 52.9z of all the serotypes. In addition, 54 different PFGE profiles (pulsotypes) were observed. Twenty-three of the 68 (33.8z) isolates were clustered into 9 pulsotypes. MLST analysis yielded 36 sequence types, of which 12 (33.3z) were novel. A comparison of results with the global pneumococcal MLST database by performing eBURST analysis showed that our strains belonged to 20 different clonal complexes and 5 singletons. In addition, we identified 4 new alleles: 2 gdh, 1 xpt, and 1 ddl. Thus, the results of this study highlighted a high level of diversity among pneumococcal isolates. In addition, the study identified a case of possible capsular switching.

Evaluation of lytB Gene for Detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Isolates and Clinical Specimens by Real-Time PCR

“…Penicillin non-susceptible isolates in Turkey, North America, and Europe were 19.1%, 9% -24%, and 0% -43%, respectively (20). In previous studies from Iran, the antibiotic susceptibility profile has been different and it has been totally shown that resistance to erythromycin, cefotaxime, cotrimoxazole, chloramphenicol, and penicillin is increasing (21,22).…”

Molecular serotyping and genotyping of penicillin non-susceptible pneumococci: the introduction of new sequence types, Tehran, Iran

“…Increasing incidence of PNSP has become a worldwide problem since the 1980s [16], [17] and has created severe problems regarding the management of IPD [1]. The prevalence of PNSP in Asian countries varies widely [5], [18], [19]. The rapid growth in incidence may result from the intercontinental spread of a few PNSP clones [20], [21].…”

“…However, in Skåne, the prevalence of PNSP increased from 8% to 10% [23], [24]. Non-susceptible isolates were reported from Turkey (19.1%), North America (9%–24%) and Europe (0%–43%) [18], [25]. In recent studies from the USA (2011) and Asian countries (2012) prevalences were 14.8% and 4.8%, respectively [23].…”

Circulating Clonal Complexes and Sequence Types of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Serotype 19a Worldwide: The Importance of Multidrug Resistance: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Isolates of hyperinvasive clones are constantly circulating and are able to modify their phenotypic profile (e.g. in Turkey, prevalence of ST242 and ST230 in serotype 14, with emerging resistance to penicillin was observed [68,69]. Also, variants of ST230 clone were identified in serotypes 19A, 19F, and 7F [69]).…”