GROUP A -HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCUS| Tutorial B-1 RS

130110110177|Gabriella Chafrina| 11/11/13

Group Specific Substance: Group A
Name of Bacteria: Streptococcus pyogenes, family Streptocococcaceae)
Hemolysis: hemolysis (complete hemolysis)
Habitat: Normal flora in throat and skin
Transmission: Direct contact from person to person
Lab criteria: Large colonies inhibited by bacitracin test
Common Diseases: Pharyngitis, Rheumatic Fever, Glomerulonephritis



Group A Streptococcus:
- Gram Positive bacteria that forms single, pairs, or chains in the forms of coccus
- Facultative anaerob
- They can lose the gram positivity, and may be gram negative when they are dead
- -hemolytic means complete hemolysis. So, it exhibits a clear colony on blood agar
















GROUP A -HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCUS| Tutorial B-1 RS

130110110177|Gabriella Chafrina| 11/11/13
- Have 3 types of antigen/substance/proteins that has different functions:
o M protein
On peptidoglycan essential to virulence (80 serotypes)
Appear as hair like projections of the streptococcal cell wall
Predicts virulence of the bacteria
Group A streptococcus has got a few M protein. Hence, not so virulent
Consist of different types of strain of M protein
M protein is heat and acid resistant
Anti-phagocytic
Host antibodies protect from infection
Prevent opsonization
o Bacterial capsule Hyaluronic Acid
Impedes phagocytosis in the body
o Lipotheichoic Acid
Fimbriae: consist M protein and enclosed by LTA help attachment to cell host
Aids in adherence of bacteria on epithelial cells
Aids in the adherence of bacteria on pharyngeal epithelium
Fibronectin/protein F: prevent attachment
- Toxin and enzyme produced:
o Hemolysin: Streptolysin O and S can lysis tissue cell, leukocyte, and platelet
o C
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peptidase
o Streptokinase enhances tissue penetration
o Streptodornase for self-protect from immune system
o Hyaluronidase solubilies tissue ground substance and quicker in invasion
o Pyrogenic exotoxin
o Erythrogenic toxin causes rash
- Diagnosis
o From sample (throat swab)
o Medium (blood agar)
o Gram staining (gram positive)
o Bacitracin test: -hemolysis (clear zone)
o Catalase test negative

Other bacterial causes Acute Tonsilopharyngitis are Bacteroides species, non-typable H influenza and
Moraxella specie. The viral causes can be any of the following: adenovirus, coxsackievirus
parainfluenzae, and respiratory syncitial virus. Among the viral causes, the Epstein Barr Virus
greatly mimics a bacterial infection.