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Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Veterinary bacteriology: information about important bacteria
Veterinary bacteriology


Species/Subspecies: Streptococcus pyogenes
Categories: Causes hemolysis; primarily of interest in human medicin
Etymology: Genus name: twisted (like a chain) coccus (coccus means a grain or a berry and referrs to any sperical microorganism)
Species epithet: pus-producing
Significance:  [Very important]   
Taxonomy:
Phylum
Bacillota
Class
Bacilli
Order
Lactobacillales
Family
Streptococcaceae 
Genus
Streptococcus
Type Strain: ATCC 12344 = CCUG 4207 and 12701 = NCTC 8198.
Macromorphology (smell): Small (approximately 1 mm in diameter) transluscent colonies after incubation for 24 h at 37°C on blood agar. Give (clear) beta-hemolysis on blood agar.
Micromorphology: Nonmotile cocci (0.5-1.0 µm in diameter) in short chains. Also occur in pairs
Gram +/Gram -:G+
Metabolism: Aerotolerant
Catalase/Oxidase:-/-
Other Enzymes: Coagulase -, esculinase v, hippuricase -, urease -
Biochemical Tests: Voges-Proskauer -
Fermentation of carbohydrates:
D-glucose
+
lactose
+
maltose
+
L-rhamnose
?
sucrose
+
L-arabinose
-
cellobiose
?
D-mannitol
-
salicin
+
trehalose
+
glycerol
?
inulin
-
raffinose
-
D-sorbitol
-
starch
?
Other carbohydrates: amygdalin -, ribose -
Spec. Char.: Optimal growth temperature: 37°C.
Special Media:
Disease:Tonsillitis and pharyngitis (strep throat), scarlet fever, impetigo, etc. in humans. May cause mastitis in cattle.
Hosts: Man, (cattle)
Clinical Picture:
Virulence Factors: Capsule (composed of hyaluronic acid), invasins, toxins, etc.
Genome Sequence:
Acc-noStrainSize (bp)Genome
NC_006086 M6 MGAS10394 1 899 877  

16S rRNA Seq.:
Acc-noStrainNumber of NTOperon
AB002521 ATCC 12344T 1 393 

Taxonomy/phylogeny:
Streptococcus pyogenes  
About 100 species have been described within the genus Streptococcus. Many species within the genus Enterococcus have earlier been classified as streptococci and, thus, they are closely related. S. pyogenes is closely related to S. canis.
Comment:Belongs to Lancefield's group A streptcocci.
Some particularly aggresive strains of S. pyogenes are sometimes kalled "flesh eating bacteria".
Staphylococcus aureus is also causing impetigo in humans.
Updated:2023-03-08

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