THE TOXINS OF GROUP-A STREPTOCOCCUS, THE FLESH EATING BACTERIA

Streptococcus pyogenes causes a wide variety of infections in individu als of all ages in most countries of the world. Because of the frequen cy with which these infections occur, physicians are quite familiar wi th the diversity of clinical presentations associated with the Group A streptococcus. Yet in the late 1980's, a severe form of streptococcal infection, the Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome, emerged and has pe rsisted for the last 10 years. This syndrome is associated with invasi ve soft tissue infections and the early onset of shock and organ failu re. The purpose of this paper is to briefly describe the epidemiologic and clinical features of the Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndromes and to emphasize the role that toxins produced by S. pyogenes play in the pathogenesis of this disease.