| Necrotizing fasciitis is caused by a rare strain of the group A Streptococcus
bacteria that causes strep throat. It destroys muscles, fat and skin tissue, and kills
about 20 percent of those infected, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. In 1999, the CDC reported 600 cases of the disease nationwide. The
disease spreads through direct contact with mucus from the nose or throat of an infected
person, or infected wounds, the CDC says.
Group A Streptococcus (GAS), or Streptococcus pyogenes, causes a
variety of streptococcal infections, including acute pharyngitis, impetigo, toxic shock
syndrome, invasive fasciitis, pyoderma, scarlet fever, and pneumonia. Among mild GAS
infections, an estimated that 25-30 million cases of suspected GAS pharyngitis are
registered each year in the North American countries. Pharyngitis is the second leading
cause of pediatric office visits in the U. S., resulting in a $2 billion annual burden to
the U. S. healthcare system. About three percent of all streptococcal pharyngitis
infections trigger a variety of immunologic disease, including acute rheumatic fever (ARF)
with array of complications.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (U. S.) serious invasive
GAS infections are diagnosed in 10,000-15,000 patients annually in the U. S. alone,
with high mortality of approximately 20%.
Severe, sometimes life-threatening, Group A Streptococcal (GAS) disease may occur when
bacteria get into parts of the body where bacteria usually are not found, such as the
blood, muscle, or the lungs. These infections are termed "invasive GAS disease."
Two of the most severe, but least common, forms of invasive GAS disease are necrotizing
fasciitis and Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome. Necrotizing fasciitis (occasionally
described by the media as "the flesh-eating bacteria") destroys muscles, fat,
and skin tissue. Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), causes blood pressure to drop
rapidly and organs (e.g., kidney, liver, lungs) to fail. STSS is not the same as the
"toxic shock syndrome" frequently associated with tampon usage. About 20% of
patients with necrotizing fasciitis and more than half with STSS die. About 10%-15% of
patients with other forms of invasive group A streptococcal disease die.
Phage Therapy for Staphylococcus Infections
Journal Antimicrobal Chemotherapy
Phage lytic enzymes as therapy for antibiotic-resistant
Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in a murine sepsis model.
Journal of Infection
Bacteriophages show promise as antimicrobial agents
Wired News
West
Recruits Bacteria Assasins
Science Online
Stalin's Forgotten Cure
The Rockerfeller University
Researchers
Find Novel Way to Kill Streptococci Bacteria
Microbiology
Long-circulating
bacteriophage as antibacterial agents
Department of Community and Family Medicine
Bacteriophages show promise as antimicrobial agents.
Evergreen State College
Phage Therapy as Antibiotics
March
2000 Addendum
Eliava Institute
List of Bacteriophages
Medical Information
Innovations Report, September 21, 2004
Strep bacteria uses a sword and shield to win battle against immune system
A single gene called cylE within the important bacterial pathogen Group B Streptococcus
(GBS), controls two factors that act together as a "sword" and
"shield" to protect the bacteria from the killing effects of the immune
system’s white blood cells, according to researchers at the University of California,
San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine. |
