Population Genomics of
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Group A Streptococcus Reveals Progressive Replacement with a Hypervirulent Clone in North America
Keyword(s):
Group A
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Severe invasive infections caused by group A Streptococcus (GAS) result in substantial morbidity and mortality in children and adults worldwide. Previously, GAS clonal strain replacement has been attributed to acquisition of exogenous DNA leading to novel virulence gene acquisition or increased virulence gene expression.