Emerging Infectious Diseases (May 2023)

Severe Streptococcus equi Subspecies zooepidemicus Outbreak from Unpasteurized Dairy Product Consumption, Italy

  • Serena Bosica,
  • Alexandra Chiaverini,
  • Maria Elisabetta De Angelis,
  • Antonio Petrini,
  • Daniela Averaimo,
  • Michele Martino,
  • Marco Rulli,
  • Maria Antonietta Saletti,
  • Maria Chiara Cantelmi,
  • Franco Ruggeri,
  • Fabrizio Lodi,
  • Paolo Calistri,
  • Francesca Cito,
  • Cesare Cammà,
  • Marco Di Domenico,
  • Antonio Rinaldi,
  • Paolo Fazii,
  • Fabrizio Cedrone,
  • Giuseppe Di Martino,
  • Patrizia Accorsi,
  • Daniela Morelli,
  • Nicola De Luca,
  • Francesco Pomilio,
  • Giustino Parruti,
  • Giovanni Savini

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2905.221338
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 29, no. 5
pp. 1020 – 1024

Abstract

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During November 2021–May 2022, we identified 37 clinical cases of Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus infections in central Italy. Epidemiologic investigations and whole-genome sequencing showed unpasteurized fresh dairy products were the outbreak source. Early diagnosis by using sequencing technology prevented the spread of life-threatening S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus infections.

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