Secreted Extracellular Virulence Factors

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2016

Publication Title

Streptococcus Pyogenes: Basic Biology to Clinical Manifestations

Abstract

Group A streptococci produce a wide variety of secreted extracellular products, many of which are considered virulence factors. The number of these potential virulence factors exceeds that of many other pathogens, and probably correlates to this organism’s ability to be a successful pathogen. This chapter reviews those virulence factors that are secreted and released from the streptococcus, including: streptokinase, proteinases, esterase, the hemolysins SLO and SLS, CAMP factor, DNases, hyaluronidases, complement inhibitor, superoxide dismutase, and immunoglobulin degrading enzymes. Many of these presumed virulence factors may also function as digestive enzymes that provide the bacteria with nutrients from the host.

Rights

© The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License (CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0).

Original Publication Citation

Hynes, W. & Sloan, M. (2016). Secreted extracellular virulence factors. In J. J. Ferretti, D. L. Stevens & V. A. Fischetti (Eds.), Streptococcus pyogenes: Basic biology to clinical manifestations. University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. https://europepmc.org/article/MED/26866214/NBK333411#free-full-text

ORCID

0000-0003-3998-7781 (Hynes)

Share

 
COinS