Group A streptococcal infection

Group A streptococcal infection
Streptococcus pyogenes
SpecialtyInfectious diseases Edit this on Wikidata

Group A streptococcal infections are a number of infections with Streptococcus pyogenes, a group A streptococcus (GAS).[1] S. pyogenes is a species of beta-hemolytic Gram-positive bacteria that is responsible for a wide range of infections that are mostly common and fairly mild. If the bacteria enters the bloodstream, the infection can become severe and life-threatening, and is called an invasive GAS (iGAS).[2][3]

Infection of GAS may spread through direct contact with mucus or sores on the skin.[2] GAS infections can cause over 500,000 deaths per year.[4] Despite the emergence of antibiotics as a treatment for group A streptococcus, cases of iGAS are an increasing problem, particularly on the continent of Africa.[5]

There are many other species of Streptococcus, including group B streptococcus Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, which cause other types of infections. Several virulence factors contribute to the pathogenesis of GAS, such as M protein, hemolysins, and extracellular enzymes.

  1. ^ Stevens, Dennis L.; Bryant, Amy E.; Hagman, Melissa M. (2020). "274. Nonpneumococcal streptococcal infections and rheumatic fever". In Goldman, Lee; Schafer, Andrew I. (eds.). Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Vol. 2 (26th ed.). Philadelphia: Elsevier. pp. 1871–1878. ISBN 978-0-323-55087-1.
  2. ^ a b "Group A Streptococcal (GAS) Disease". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Archived from the original on December 19, 2007. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  3. ^ Zorzoli, Azul; Meyer, Benjamin H.; Adair, Elaine; Torgov, Vladimir I.; Veselovsky, Vladimir V.; Danilov, Leonid L.; Uhrin, Dusan; Dorfmueller, Helge C. (18 October 2019). "Group A, B, C, and G Streptococcus Lancefield antigen biosynthesis is initiated by a conserved α-d-GlcNAc-β-1,4-l-rhamnosyltransferase". Journal of Biological Chemistry. 294 (42): 15237–15256. doi:10.1074/jbc.RA119.009894. PMC 6802508. PMID 31506299. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  4. ^ Cohen-Poradosu, Ronit; Kasper, Dennis (2007). "Group A Streptococcus Epidemiology and Vaccine Implications". Clinical Infectious Diseases. 45 (7): 863–5. doi:10.1086/521263. PMID 17806050.
  5. ^ Carapetis, JR; Steer, AC; Mulholland, EK; Weber, M (November 2005). "The global burden of group A streptococcal diseases". The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 5 (11): 685–94. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(05)70267-X. PMID 16253886.