Hypervirulent Clone of Group B Streptococcus Serotype III Sequence Type 283, Hong Kong, 1993–2012

Abstract

We describe a hypervirulent clone of group B Streptococcus serotype III, subtype 4, sequence type 283, that caused invasive disease with a predilection for meningitis in Hong Kong during 1993–2012. The organism is associated with high mortality and increased summer prevalence and is linked to diseased fish from freshwater fish farms.

Keywords

• Group B Streptococcus
• serotype III-4/ST283
• newborns
• hypervirulent
• clone
• meningitis