Disease relevance of Scarlet Fever

• Characterization and clonal distribution of four alleles of the speA gene encoding pyrogenic exotoxin A (scarlet fever toxin) in Streptococcus pyogenes [1].
• These toxins include toxic shock syndrome toxin-1, the staphylococcal enterotoxins, and the streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins (synonyms: scarlet fever toxins and erythrogenic toxins), all of which have the ability to cause toxic shock syndromes and related illnesses [2].
• Reactivity of rheumatic fever and scarlet fever patients' sera with group A streptococcal M protein, cardiac myosin, and cardiac tropomyosin: a retrospective study [3].
• Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin type A (scarlet fever toxin) is related to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B [4].
• In addition, we compared soluble CD23 levels in 33 patients with acute KD with levels in ten patients each with measles, rubella, infectious mononucleosis, and scarlet fever to determine if marked elevations in soluble CD23 were unique to acute KD [5].

High impact information on Scarlet Fever

• Strains of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci isolated from 10 patients were not of a single M or T type; however, 8 of the 10 strains produced pyrogenic exotoxin A (scarlet fever toxin A, a classic erythrogenic toxin), which has rarely been observed in recent years [6].
• Importantly, strain MGAS8232 has genes encoding many additional secreted proteins involved in human-GAS interactions, including streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A (scarlet fever toxin) and two uncharacterized pyrogenic exotoxin homologues, all phage-associated [7].
• Some human sera, derived from patients with scarlet fever, were also used as references [8].
• In contrast, exfoliative toxin was detected in an S. aureus strain from only one of 17 case of staphylococcal scarlet fever; the 16 other S. aureus strains produced TSST-1 and/or an enterotoxin [9].
• The recent unexplained increase in severe streptococcal diseases in the United States and Great Britain is compared to the 1825-1885 pandemic of fatal scarlet fever [10].

Chemical compound and disease context of Scarlet Fever

• The efficacy and safety of a 10-day course of ceftibuten oral suspension (9 mg/kg once daily) were compared with those of penicillin V (25 mg/kg/day in 3 divided doses) in children 3 to 18 years old treated for symptomatic pharyngitis and scarlet fever caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (Streptococcus pyogenes) [11].
• A reduced risk was found for women who had scarlet fever or who had used estrogen replacement therapy, aspirin, medications for non-insulin dependent diabetes, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, or beta-adrenergic blocking agents [12].
• The short-term therapy of streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis and scarlet fever with ceftriaxone (Rocephin) is reported [13].
• Two patients in the erythromycin group and one in the cefadroxil group were diagnosed as having scarlet fever [14].
• Its pyrogenic activity could be inhibited by antiserum against scarlet fever toxin (Wellcome Laboratories) [15].

Gene context of Scarlet Fever

• The serum levels of TGF-beta 1 were decreased in patients with KD, but not in patients with AP or scarlet fever during the acute stage [16].
• Seasonal patterns showed a higher proportion of new asthma cases from September to January, while the number of scarlet fever cases increased from March to June (r(S)=-0.84, P=0.0006, 1-month lag) [17].

References