Group G Streptococcal Infections

The role of group G β-hemolytic streptococci (GGS) as significant human pathogens has been firmly established during the past 15 years. These organisms are normal inhabitants of the skin, oropharynx, and gastrointestinal and female genital tracts. Although cutaneous infections and pharyngitis are encountered most often, a wide variety of infections—including potentially life-threatening ones, such as septicemia, endocarditis, meningitis, peritonitis, pneumonitis, empyema, and septic arthritis—have been described.1 Asymptomatic pharyngeal carriage of GGS occurs in up to 23% of humans.2Symptoms of pharyngitis range from a mild upper respiratory tract infection with coryza to exudative pharyngitis accompanied by fever and lymphadenopathy. The illness is indistinguishable from that produced by group A streptococci, and there is no evidence that antimicrobial therapy modifies either the severity or the duration of symptoms.3Acute rheumatic fever following GGS pharyngitis has not been described. Type 12 M protein antigen, identical to the nephritogenic antigen