Incidence and Characteristics of Scarlet Fever, South Korea, 2008–2015

Abstract

The incidence rate for scarlet fever in South Korea is rising. During 2008–2015, we collected group A Streptococcus isolates and performed emm and exotoxin genotyping and disk-diffusion antimicrobial tests. Scarlet fever in South Korea was most closely associated with emm types emm4, emm28, emm1, and emm3. In 2015, tetracycline resistance started increasing.

Keywords

• scarlet fever
• emm
• exotoxin
• disk diffusion antimicrobial tests
• South Korea
• group A strep