Infections of the upper respiratory tract and skin due to group A Streptococcus are common, and the organism is highly transmissible. In industrialized countries and to some extent in developing countries, control efforts continue to emphasize that group A streptococcal pharyngitis should be properly diagnosed and appropriately treated. In developing countries and in indigenous populations wher...

Primary lymph node cells derived from streptococcal cell wall arthritic rats or those derived from adjuvant arthritic rats proliferated in response to cell wall antigens derived from either streptococcal cell walls or those from M. tuberculosis. In addition, two T cell lines have been isolated from lymph nodes of rats during the chronic phase of streptococcal cell wall arthritis. These T cell l...

To determine if recent cases of invasive group A streptococcal disease were caused by strains with a unique characteristic, 117 isolates Streptococcus pyogenes from patients with a variety of diseases, including necrotizing fasciitis and toxic shock syndrome, were analyzed. Significant genomic heterogeneity was observed among selected isolates, as determined using pulsed-field gel electrophores...

In rheumatic fever, lesions occur in the connective tissue-of the heart, of the synovial and serous membranes, and of the subcutaneous tissue. While these lesions are sufficiently characteristic to allow confident recognition on histological grounds alone, purely morphological studies have so far revealed little of the essential nature of the lesion, or its possible origins. Aetiologically, the...

the influence of glycosaminoglycans (gag) on collagen fibrillogenesis in vitro was investigated. gag and collagen were isolated from the liver of rats treated with carbon tetrachloride at various time intervals (3-16 weeks). it was found that gag obtained from the fibrotic liver accelerated collagen fibril formation. this effect was more evident in a solution of type i collagen than type iii co...

A total of 451 strains of gram-positive bacteria were identified with a prototype of the Gram-Positive Identification card used in conjunction with the AutoMicrobic system (Vitek Systems, Inc., Hazelwood, Mo.). Of the species that the Gram-Positive Identification card is capable of identifying, 85% of staphylococcal, 50% of beta-hemolytic group A, B, C, F, and G streptococcal, 91% of group D st...

Streptococcal bloodstream infections resulting in right-sided endocarditis are uncommon. Streptococcus mitis can demonstrate slow-growing potential leading to delayed presentation or culture-negative endocarditis. Endocarditis accompanied by skin lesions represents a severe disease course. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy complicating the require well...