Vaccine-induced, but not natural immunity, against the Streptococcal inhibitor of complement protects against invasive disease.

Highly pathogenic emm1 Streptococcus pyogenes strains secrete the multidomain Streptococcal inhibitor of complement (SIC) that binds and inactivates components of the innate immune response. We aimed to determine if naturally occurring or vaccine-induced antibodies to SIC are protective against invasive S. pyogenes infection.

Bromine, bear-claw scratch fasciotomies, and the Eagle effect: management of group A streptococcal necrotising fasciitis and its association with trauma.

Necrotising fasciitis is a rare, but potentially fatal, soft-tissue infection. Historical depictions of the disease have been described since classical times and were mainly recorded in wartime reports of battle injuries. Although several different species of bacteria can cause necrotising fasciitis, perhaps the most widely known is group A streptococcus (GAS).

Current views of haemolytic streptococcal pathogenesis.

Purpose Of Review: Increasing disease caused by beta-haemolytic streptococci indicates the need for improved understanding of pathogenesis.

Recent Findings: Streptococcus pyogenes, or group A Streptococcus (GAS), causes significant disease worldwide. The closely related Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDSE) is increasingly recognized as causing a similar disease spectrum.

Acute lung injury and other serious complications of Plasmodium vivax malaria.

Plasmodium vivax infection is classified among the so-called benign malarias, but it is increasingly recognised that serious and even life-threatening complications may occur. We present the case of a returning traveller with P vivax infection who developed acute lung injury 3 days into treatment, and discuss the serious complications of this infection. The case highlights the fact that P vivax infection is benign by name but not always by nature.

Hospital-based study of viridans streptococcal bacteraemia in children and adults.

Objectives: To assess the proportion and clinical significance of bacteraemia caused by viridans streptococci (VS) in immunocompetent adults and children.

Methods: Over a 25-month period, we collected data on all patients with VS bacteraemia at a UK district general hospital.

Results: VS caused 50/723 (6.