G ROUP A streptococcal infection initiates acute rheumatic fever; rheumatic valvular heart disease is a sequela that develops during or subsequent to the acute rheumatic episode. The mechanism by which the preceding streptococcal infection produces the arthritic and constitutional symptoms and valvular heart disease is unknown. Regardless of the mechanism involved, there is little doubt that pr...

The levels of streptococcal antibody titers in populations with or without rheumatic fever from an area with a relatively high incidence of rheumatic fever and an area with a low incidence of this disease were compared. Streptococcal antibody titers were determined for two populations, each of which included children without rheumatic fever (nonrheumatic children) and rheumatic fever patients. ...

Erythema nodosum (EN) has been associated with various infectious and noninfectious diseases. A total of 39 EN patients seen between May 2005 and February 2012 were evaluated retrospectively in this study. The etiology of EN was established in 22 of the 39 children (56.4%). Streptococcal infection was the most common cause (23%), followed by tularemia (10.2%) and tuberculosis (latent tuberculos...

This study investigated the inhibitory effect of probiotic Enterococcus faecium WB2000 on biofilm formation by cariogenic streptococci. The ability of E. faecium WB2000 and JCM5804 and Enterococcus faecalis JCM5803 to inhibit biofilm formation by seven laboratory oral streptococcal strains and 13 clinical mutans streptococcal strains was assayed. The Enterococcal strains inhibited biofilm forma...

While group C beta hemolytic streptococcal infections are uncommon in humans, group C beta hemolytic streptococcal pneumonia is exceedingly rare. To the best of our knowledge, only 2 cases of necrotizing pneumonia caused by group C beta hemolytic streptococcus have been reported in the past. Thus, we are reporting a rare case of necrotizing group C beta hemolytic streptococcal pneumonia in a y...

Lysins are murein hydrolases produced by bacteriophage that act on the bacterial host cell wall to release progeny phage. When added extrinsically in their purified form, these enzymes produce total lysis of susceptible Gram-positive bacteria within seconds, suggesting a unique antimicrobial strategy. All known Gram-positive lysins are produced as a single polypeptide containing a catalytic act...

A considerable body of experimental and clinical evidence supports the concept that difficult-to-culture and dormant bacteria are involved in latency of infection and that these persistent bacteria may be pathogenic. This review includes details on the diverse forms and functions of individual bacteria and attempts to make this information relevant to the care of patients. A series of experimen...

In the past decade there has been renewed interest in psychiatric and movement dis-interest in psychiatric and movement disorders that develop in the context of orders that develop in the context of streptococcal infection. There is increasing streptococcal infection. There is increasing evidence that these disorders are auto-evidence that these disorders are auto-immune and are mediated by ant...

INTRODUCTION Endocarditis is a disease where the inner tissue around heart valves becomes inflamed due to a bacterial infection that originates in the bloodstream. It is commonly known that the bacteria from the genus Streptococcus can initiate infection (Moreillon & Que, 2004). No vaccine against streptococcal endocarditis is currently available (Moreillon & Que). Despite lack of success in va...