S. pyogenes and virtually all other members of the Streptococcus genus are known pathogens for a host of mammalian species, including our own. And in humans, a shocking number of illnesses are associated with this particular bacterium. S. pyogenes is one of the top ten causes of deadly infectious diseases for our species, and it’s responsible for over half a million deaths annually. Among the diseases that can be chalked up to S. pyogenes are toxic shock syndrome, scarlet fever, strep throat, and a particularly scary one called necrotizing fasciitis, which has earned S. pyogenes the unpleasant
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