pyogenes (group A beta streptococci) - Facultative anaerobe
(def). - Asymptomatic colonization of the upper respiratory
tract in humans. - Pharyngitis is pread person to person
primarily by respiratory droplets; skin infections are spread by
direct contact with an infected person or through fomites (def).
- The most common infection is pharyngitis (streptococcal sore
throat) with the organism usually being limited to the mucous
membranes and lymphatic tissue of the upper respiratory tract.
From the pharynx, however, the streptococci sometimes spread to
other areas of the respiratory tract resulting in laryngitis
(def), pneumonia, and otitis media (def). - Occasionally, it may
enter the lymphatic vessels or the blood and disseminate to
other areas of the body, causing septicemia (def), septic
arthritis (def), and meningitis (def). - If it enters injured
skin, it may cause pyogenic (def) cutaneous infections such as
impetigo , erysipelas (def), - Group A beta streptococcus
infections can result in two autoimmun