ABSTRACT
In terms of pathogenicity, the group A beta-hemolytic streptococci must be deemed to possess the most impressive enzymatic and cellular armamentarium of any human pathogen. They produce a minimum of 20 extracellular products, including streptokinase (fibrinolysin) and streptodornase (deoxyribonuclease), hyaluronidase, diphosphopyridine nucleotidase, and hemolysins (streptolysin O and S).
