BACKGROUND Group A streptococcal severe soft tissue infections, such as necrotizing fasciitis, are rapidly progressive infections associated with high mortality. Group A streptococcus is typically considered an extracellular pathogen, but has been shown to reside intracellularly in host cells. METHODS AND FINDINGS We characterized in vivo interactions between group A streptococci (GAS) and ce...

Autophagy is important for innate defense against intracellular bacteria, such as Group A Streptococcus (GAS). In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Barnett et al. (2013) demonstrate that the globally disseminated serotype M1T1 clone of GAS can evade autophagy via streptococcal cysteine protease SpeB-mediated degradation of ubiquitin-LC3 adaptor proteins.

M protein is a major surface component of group A streptococci, and more than 80 distinct serological types exist . Antigenic variability resides in the NH2-terminal distal portion ofthe fibrillarM protein molecule, whereas the COOH-terminal half is highly conserved among different M serotypes (1, 2) . With few exceptions, only serum IgGdirected to the antigenically variable portion ofM protein...

Streptococcus agalactiae bacteria are a common cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis. Universal screening pregnant women for carriage intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis has significantly reduced the disease prevalence in children up to 7 days age. However, it is be remembered that group B streptococcal infection can also affect older children, even if their mothers have tested negative during...

sydenham’s chorea is a delayed complication of group aßhaemolytic streptococcal infections and forms one of the majorcriteria of acute rheumatic fever.it is characterised bychorea, muscular weakness, and a number of neuropsychiatricsymptoms. it is considered to be an autoantibody mediated disorderwith the evidence suggesting that patients with sydenham’schorea produce antibodies that cross reac...

The efficiency of transformation of pneumococcus and a strain of viridans streptococcus (strain D) to streptomycin resistance is influenced by the species in which the mutation to resistance occurred, as well as by the species in which the mutated gene has been replicated. Pneumococcus and streptococcus strain D transform in higher frequency with DNA that has been replicated in bacteria of the ...

Neonatal group B streptococcal infection is the primary cause of neonatal morbidity related to infection. It can often be prevented by identifying and treating pregnant women who carry group B streptococci or who are at highest risk of transmitting the bacteria to newborns. Increasing evidence and expert opinion support intrapartum treatment of women at relatively high risk of delivering an inf...