Informational post: Streptococcus Pyogenes / Group A Strep.

naisho

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I thought it would warrant describing what is this disease and what it does in particular, symptoms, and other tidbits, and that it would be helpful in letting AD'ers know what it is all about. Due to a recent occurrence, it has caused me to research more in depth about it.


Most of my information comes out from the Bacteriology text I am using for my major, further in depth researching on the net, and various general handouts.


This type of Strep is also known as.. Streptococcus Pyogenes / Group A Strep / Strep A / Strep. pyogenes.

The reason why it's labeled as group A has to do with the Lancefield microbio classification, because a microbiologist by the name of Rebecca Lancefield (you can google that) divided the genus of Strep into multiple variations.

Strep is divided into many different variations, there are at least 39 known species to date so far.

Streptococcus is a bacterial infection, meaning there is no altering of human genetics done (That's what viruses do). Since it is of the bacteria kingdom, as all of them the focus of it is to expand and reproduce as much as it can while it has the resources and location to do so, the term known for this behavior is prokaryotism (prokaryote). The way to treat them is usually through antibiotics.

Anyways, the focus of the Streptococci genus (all strep bacteria) have one thing in common. All of them are incapable of respiratory metabolism, and they are nutritionally fastidious. This means they will find places to live that will accommodate them for this lacking trait (In the lungs, air/blood passageways), and that they "consume" a lot of host resources without even thinking of stopping at at any point at all.

Strep. Pyogenes, this one in particular, produces enzymes of its own to 'attack' or to disassemble carbon dioxides, nitrogen, and other forms of energy sources traveling through the airway and airway fluids, usually in the lungs area. The form of attack is done at the DNA level, where it targets the basic building blocks and body proteins crucial for daily living.


The following should make sense for those with a scientific background, just ignore it if it doesn't make sense to you.
The victims of strep's attack often "include a hyaluronidase, several proteinases, deoxyribonucleases, and a pullulanse."


Most often in the respiratory tract, Strep. Pyogenes occupies the the nasal cavity and much of the pharynx.


Severe forms of this infection CAN be spread by contact with other humans, mammals. It is transmittable through different forms.


This particular one can be responsible for behavior such as strep throat (most common), but when taken a step further it can cause rheumatic, scarlet fevers, along with necrotizing fascitis (flesh eating bacteria), meningitis, pneumonia,
I'm not too familiar with medical symptoms, but this is the short version provided of what I think may attribute to the current situation:
Rheumatic Fever (Acute): Causes high inflammation of many organs, most notably the heart.
Scarlet Fever: Often characterized by rashes on the skin .


Treatment of Strep. Pyogenes often involves intake of antibiotics to reduce bacteria's growth in order to sustain the damage being caused, although there is no universal generic medicine that is able to instantly kill it due to the differentiation of bacteria genuses. Penicillin is said to be one of the key antibiotics to be used in fighting against this strain and patients usually see improvement within a few days of battling.



Further scientific informational links, from microbiological resources (for those into the pathogen and microbiological world)
Genome Project Result
http://cmr.jcvi.org/tigr-scripts/CMR/GenomePage.cgi?org=ntsp16


Resources for those not familiar with bacteriology, from google
Streptococcus pyogenes and streptococcal disease
Streptococcus pyogenes (Most documentation with pictures, and layman's terms + resources, should be a learning experience for ADers)
 
Naisho thanks for posting that informations

i am sure that will help us understand the virus and how it affect.
 
Thanks for made thread!

Penicillin is said to be one of the key antibiotics to be used in fighting against this strain and patients usually see improvement within a few days of battling.

Curious It is curable? Why he is in coma and pulled off support life? If they knew its curable then don't pulling to support life?
 
Thanks for made thread!

Penicillin is said to be one of the key antibiotics to be used in fighting against this strain and patients usually see improvement within a few days of battling.

Curious It is curable? Why he is in coma and pulled off support life? If they knew its curable then don't pulling to support life?

That is the part upsetting me. I don't think they take off life support if they think you will live.
 
Thank you for this thread, Nashio. Very informative. :ty:

Thanks for made thread!

Penicillin is said to be one of the key antibiotics to be used in fighting against this strain and patients usually see improvement within a few days of battling.

Curious It is curable? Why he is in coma and pulled off support life? If they knew its curable then don't pulling to support life?

That is the part upsetting me. I don't think they take off life support if they think you will live.

Yeah, I am still upset about life support is off... I'm completely surprise about it! :eek3: I just don't understand why. :( I think it's because of his own wish that what he want? I don't know...
 
Thanks for made thread!

Penicillin is said to be one of the key antibiotics to be used in fighting against this strain and patients usually see improvement within a few days of battling.

Curious It is curable? Why he is in coma and pulled off support life? If they knew its curable then don't pulling to support life?

yes it is curable but it's largely dependent on the stage of infection and the patient's strength and will to pull through. He was take off life support because that's what his wills says. He does not want to be placed on life support. :( Now it's a waiting game for the next 24 hours since he was taken off life support.

he'll pull through..... he'll pull through...... :mad2:
 
Thanks for made thread!

Penicillin is said to be one of the key antibiotics to be used in fighting against this strain and patients usually see improvement within a few days of battling.

Curious It is curable? Why he is in coma and pulled off support life? If they knew its curable then don't pulling to support life?


yeah it can but not for people who are allergic to penicillin like my family

i have no idea why Brydie is off life support
 
yes it is curable but it's largely dependent on the stage of infection and the patient's strength and will to pull through. He was take off life support because that's what his wills says. He does not want to be placed on life support. :( Now it's a waiting game for the next 24 hours since he was taken off life support.

he'll pull through..... he'll pull through...... :mad2:

Me too! & Praying!!!

I think that I could change my wills if Anything happens to me in coma with life support but if able to be curable then don't pulling it! *sighs* :( :shrug:
 
:ty: for information about Streptococci. It´s new to me... I´m learning about it.
 
yes it is curable but it's largely dependent on the stage of infection and the patient's strength and will to pull through. He was take off life support because that's what his wills says. He does not want to be placed on life support. :( Now it's a waiting game for the next 24 hours since he was taken off life support.

he'll pull through..... he'll pull through...... :mad2:

It look like that the doctor doubt Brydie´s chance to be survive. If doctor know Brydie will get chance then the doctor would not turn life machine off.

I beleive Brydie would accept if it´s over 50% risk and live on life machine for few days to months, not years to rest of life.

Accord the information, is no good chance.


 
I am no medical professional, I only study on the behavior of pathogens.

But according to what someone else said in Byrdie's thread, he has a genetic or hereditary condition that causes heart strain/attacks, which means MB is going through atleast two different issues right now, one with the Strep A, and the other with his condition.

One could possibly be triggering the other, is what I'm thinking and why he may had to be placed on life support.
Hoping the best for 'em.
 
If a person has a living will stating they do not want to be on life support.. It is legal and binding. The doctor has to respect the living will.

In results of Bydies strep. He had two heart attacks.


The coma may have been induced. I am not sure. but it is possible. So he can rest.

Also, a person going into a coma is a natural way of the body partly shutting down so they can recover.

I am glad he is doing better. and now is recovering.
 
That is the part upsetting me. I don't think they take off life support if they think you will live.

They most likely put him on life support to take the added stress off his heart until they could get the infection under control. That reduces the risk of serious permanent damage by overstressing the organs. When the infection is under control, they remove the life support to allow the organs to begin to function on their own again.
 
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