Flesh Eating Bacterium
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In this paper I will present the bacteria, streptococcus, with its different strains, some are not as harmful as others. Mostly I'd like to focus on the strain of streptococcus that breaks down flesh, hence the name, "flesh eating bacteria".
Streptococcus bacteria, strepto-meaning those that divide and remain attached to one another, and coccus-meaning berry like. It is a genus of bacteria that are gram positive, that often appear in chains of different lengths. Some species produce exotoxins, that are responsible for a number of infections such as scarlet fever,tonsilititis, erysipelas, endocarditis, rheumatic fever, impetigo glomernephritis, pneumonia, meningitis, but largely in wound infections.
Wound infections, which was once referred to as hospital gangrene, are caused by two bacteria, Group A Streptococcus ( streptococcus pyogenes) and Staphylococcus aureus. Streptococci produce several extracellular substances that contribute to their pathogenicity, another words they secrete toxins and enzymes or virulence factors that vary with the different species. One toxin is the hemolysin which lyse rbc, and many other cells. Beta-hemolysis streptococcus is what caused many human diseases. The group A strain is studied more readily, it is the M protein that is found in the external cell wall on a fuzzy layer of fibrils, which have a phagocytic property that greatly contribute to the bacteria or strains pathogenicity...