Novel superantigens from streptococcal toxic shock syndrome Streptococcus pyogenes isolates

Duane Newton; Anna Norrby-Teglund; Allison McGeer; Donald E Low; Patrick M Schlievert; Malak Kotb

doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-1825-3_123

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Novel superantigens from streptococcal toxic shock syndrome Streptococcus pyogenes isolates

Book chapter

Peer reviewed

Novel superantigens from streptococcal toxic shock syndrome Streptococcus pyogenes isolates

Duane Newton, Anna Norrby-Teglund, Allison McGeer, Donald E Low, Patrick M Schlievert and Malak Kotb

Streptococci and the Host, Vol.418, pp.525-529

Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 418, Springer

1997

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4899-1825-3_123

PMID: 9331707

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Abstract

The incidence of severe invasive group A streptococcal infections (GAS) and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) continues to rise (1), but the reason for this impressive change in epidemiology and clinical manifestation of GAS infections remains a mystery. Streptococcal superantigens (SAgs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of STSS, but no single SAg can be directly associated with disease (reviewed in 2). A recent outbreak of severe GAS infections in Canada since November 1994 has led to the identification of 95 patients with invasive GAS infections or STSS. These invasive cases could be classified into severe and nonsevere invasive disease based on the clinical symptoms. The severe cases included patients with STSS and necrotizing fasciitis whereas the nonsevere cases were those with no sign of hypotension, organ failure, deep soft tissue involvement or shock. In this study we examined the distribution of genes encoding known streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins (Spes), which belong to the family of microbial superantigens, among isolates from severe and nonsevere disease. In addition, we investigated the pattern of SAg production by GAS strains isolated from these patients. We report that invasive strains of S. pyogenes produce a number of known Spes as well as novel SAgs that remain to be fully characterized.

Genes, Bacterial

Streptococcal Infections - microbiology

Superantigens - biosynthesis

Streptococcus pyogenes - immunology

Humans

Shock, Septic - epidemiology

Streptococcal Infections - epidemiology

Seroepidemiologic Studies

Superantigens - isolation & purification

Bacterial Proteins

Shock, Septic - microbiology

Membrane Proteins

Streptococcus pyogenes - genetics

Disease Outbreaks

Exotoxins - genetics

Ontario - epidemiology

Streptococcus pyogenes - classification

Serotyping

Details

Title: Subtitle: Novel superantigens from streptococcal toxic shock syndrome Streptococcus pyogenes isolates
Creators: Duane Newton - VAMC, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Anna Norrby-Teglund
Allison McGeer
Donald E Low
Patrick M Schlievert
Malak Kotb
Resource Type: Book chapter
Publication Details: Streptococci and the Host, Vol.418, pp.525-529
Publisher: Springer; Boston, MA
Series: Advances in experimental medicine and biology; 418
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4899-1825-3_123
PMID: 9331707
ISSN: 0065-2598
Language: English
Date published: 1997
Academic Unit: Microbiology and Immunology; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9984001154402771

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