title: Sudden death due to streptococcal infection.
abstract: Sudden unexpected deaths form a large population of medical examiner caseloads. Presented are the clinical, pathologic, and virulence features of sudden death due to Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Emphasis is placed on the importance of post-mortem cultures. Case histories are included to illustrate the sometimes unusual presentation of this disease. Recent publicity has led to a heightened public awareness of this unusually virulent entity.
authors.affiliation: Pima County Forensic Science Center, Tucson, AZ.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hartsough
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: B O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Parks
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification*