Ask A Scientist© Molecular Biology Archive

status      student
age         16

Question -  I want to know what flesh eating bacteria is...and what are
some flesh eating bacteria??? What do they do and what are there habits
and basically eveything you need to know about it...please answer since i
need it for a project

You can get this information from many websites.  Try the CDC website
(www.cdc.gov) or the American Society for Microbiology (asm.org).  Or do a
search for flesheating bacteria.  There should be tons of info.  Basically
though, it is called Streptococcus pyogenes the same kind of bacteria that
causes strep throat but a viscious strain.  It is very rare or many  people
would have it.  It usually gets into the body through a wound somewhere, that
can be very small by the way.  It secretes a toxin that is called necrotoxin
and "eats" the skin away.  The condition it causes is called necrotizing
fasciitis.  Good luck on your project.

Van Hoeck
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