GENUS STREPTOCOCCUS 



197 



STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES ROSENBACH. 



Synonyms. Streptococcus erysipelatos Rosenbach ; Str. 

 conglomeratus Kurth; Str. longus v. Lingelsheim ; Str. septo- 

 pyaemicus Biondi. 



Place in nature. This streptococcus is the cause of a 

 large number of acute and also chronic inflammations. The 

 streptococcus of erysipelas and the one described by Pruden in 

 human diphtheria are identical. Its distribution in nature is 

 not fully understood except that it is quite common about hos- 



,-* >" , 



s . *. / ." 



o- us ' 



Fig. 46. Streptococcus pyogenes. Drawing made from a cover-glass 

 preparation from a bouillon culture. X about 1000. 



pitals and it has been reported to have been isolated from the 

 soil. Streptococci are frequently found on the skin, on the 

 mucosa of the digestive tract, and on certain other mucous 

 membranes of the body that resemble it very closely. As the 

 virulence of this streptococcus varies according to its environ- 

 ment it is possible that the streptococci living on the mucosa 

 may be closely related to, if not identical with it. It is fre- 

 quently associated with other lesions of the throat and lungs 



