Seven-Year Surveillance of North American Pediatric Group A Streptococcal Pharyngitis Isolates

摘要

Background. Pharyngeal group A streptococcal (GAS) emm type surveillance enhances understanding of the epidemiology of pharyngitis and invasive GAS disease and formulation of multivalent type-specific vaccines. In addition, such surveillance provides pre-GAS vaccine baseline data. We assessed geographic and temporal trends in GAS emm -type distribution among pediatric pharyngeal isolates collected systematically in the United States and Canada from 2000 to 2007.