Recent studies have suggested that T cells play a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Guttate psoriasis is a well-defined form of psoriasis frequently associated with streptococcal throat infection. This study tested the hypothesis that T cells in acute guttate psoriasis skin lesions may be activated by streptococcal superantigens. Peripheral blood as well as lesional and perilesion...

OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review to determine whether clinical findings can be used to rule in or to rule out streptococcal pharyngitis in children. STUDY DESIGN Two authors independently searched MEDLINE and EMBASE. We included articles if they contained data on the accuracy of symptoms or signs of streptococcal pharyngitis, individually or combined into prediction rules, in children...

After being notified that 2 high school football teammates from New York City were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected invasive group A streptococcal infections, we conducted an investigation of possible spread among other team members. This investigation highlights a need for guidelines on management of streptococcal and other infectious disease outbreaks in team sport settings.

Background Acute Streptococcus pyogenes infections may present under various forms, such as pharyngitis, scarlet fever, pneumonia, meningitis, cellulitis or impetigo. Toxigenic infections can result in necrotizing fasciitis, myositis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Following acute infections caused by S pyogenes, patients are also at risk for developing immune-mediated post-streptococca...

OBJECTIVE Reports have suggested that streptococcal infection may be etiologically related to pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders (PANDAS), but there are few good epidemiologic studies to support this theory. Using population-based data from a large West-Coast health maintenance organization, we assessed whether streptococcal infection was associated with increased risk for obsessiv...

The morphology and pathology of cultured mouse glomeruli were examined at the cellular and subcellular levels after infection with a physiological isotonic L-form of Streptococcus pyogenes type 12 or exposure to streptococcal lipoteichoic acid. These changes, as viewed by light microscopy, were identical regardless of the method used to induce glomerular cytotoxicity. They were characterized by...

The relationship of the streptococcal hemolysin which is recognized on incubation of RBC with streptococcal cells (cell-bound hemolysin, CBH), to RNA hemolysin, a representative of oxygen-stable hemolysin (streptolysin S) has been studied. A number of similarities have been found in the conditions for optimal production of each of these hemolysins, a requirement for cysteine, Mg(++), and glucos...

The Histidine Triad Proteins (HTPs), also known as Pht proteins in Streptococcus pneumoniae, constitute a family of surface-exposed proteins that exist in many pathogenic streptococcal species. Although many studies have revealed the importance of HTPs in streptococcal physiology and pathogenicity, little is known about their origin and evolution. In this study, after identifying all htp homolo...

It is now well established that practically all initial attacks and subsequent recurrences of rheumatic fever are precipitated by antecedent Group A hemolytic streptococcal infection. Evidence to support this concept has been based on the close epidemiologic and bacteriologic association of acute rheumatic fever and streptococcal infection (1-9) as well as on the striking similarity of the anti...

Beta-hemolytic streptococcal isolates have been examined by counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) with group B antiserum to determine whether this techinque is of value in the rapid identification of group B strains. Ninety stock cultures and 100 clinical isolates of beta-hemolytic streptococci including representatives of groups A, D, C, G, and B were inoculated into Todd-Hewitt broth; after incu...