Streptococcus pyogenes strains produce a wide variety of secreted or released extracellular products, many of which are virulence factors due to their roles in promoting disease and/or survival of this pathogen in the host. This chapter reviews those virulence factors that are secreted and/or released from the bacterial surface, including: streptokinase, proteinases, esterase, the hemolysins SLO and SLS, CAMP factor, DNases, hyaluronidases, complement inhibitor, superoxide dismutase, M protein fragments, and immunoglobulin-degrading enzymes. Many of these virulence factors may also function as digestive enzymes that provide the bacteria with nutrients from the host.
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