Abstract
M1(UK) is associated with current surges in invasive infection globally, partly due to increased production of superantigen streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A. We show that M1(UK) is now the dominant invasive emm1 lineage in Aotearoa New Zealand and is genomically related to community infections, suggesting that measures that effectively prevent group A Streptococcus pharyngitis in children could reduce invasive disease.