M protein gene typing was used to analyse Streptococcus pyogenes clinical isolates collected between 1983 and 1995 in an area of central Italy from patients presenting different types of infections; the same isolates were also characterized by means of DNA fingerprinting.

M type 1 was the most common (50% of study strains), followed by M types 4, 12 and 6. The proportion of M type 12 decreased with time, whereas M type 1 increased, in agreement with data obtained in many different areas. Most invasive strains belonged to types M1 (30%) and M12 (30%); on the other hand, the M1 type did frequently occur also among non-invasive isolates. DNA fingerprinting showed a correlation between M types and DNA patterns. This report provides epidemiological information from a geographic area not sampled recently, and further shows the usefulness of the M genotyping technique, which offers potential advantages over conventional serological typing methods.