Streptococcus Pyogenes is Inactivated by UV-C Light

What is Streptococcus pyogenes?

Streptococcus pyogenes is a strain of Streptococcus, also known as group A Streptococcus (GAS). They are bacteria made up of round cells (cocci) that tend to link together to form a chain (streptos). They are usually pathogenic, meaning they frequently cause disease, the most common of which is Strep Throat (Pharyngitis)open_in_new. The main symptoms of Strep Throat are sore throat along with minor skin infections. Other diseases associated with Streptococcus pyogenes include toxic shock syndromeopen_in_new, rheumatic fever, impetigo, and cellulitis. Unlike Strep throat, which is comparatively mild in nature, these conditions can become life-threatening.

Where is it Found?

Man spewing Streptococcus pyogenes respiratory droplets — Contaminated Droplets

Hand about to touch handrail — Contaminated Surfaces

Woman eating shellfish — Contaminated Food

What Does it Infect?

Man with lungs and upper respiratory tract showing — Lungs

Woman with nose and throat showing through skin — Nose & Throat

Closeup of face with infected skin — Skin

How Does it Spread?

Nose breathing in respiratory droplets — Inhaling Droplets

Hand pushing open door in bathroom stall — Touching Surfaces

Infections by the Numbers

Each year, an estimated 700 million infections occur worldwide. While the mortality rate for these infections is under 0.1%, over 650,000 of the cases are severe, with a mortality rate of 25%. Early recognition of the infection and treatment are imperative; failure to do so can result in death.

Preventing the Spread of S. pyogenes

For Individuals

Since Streptococus pyogenes spreads person to person or by contaminated surfaces and food, the best defense against spread of the infection is consistent hand washing. Humans are the primary reservoir for Streptococus pyogenes. There is no evidence to indicate that pets can transmit the bacteria to humans.

Treatment with an appropriate antibiotic for 12 hours or longer limits a person’s ability to transmit Streptococus pyogenes. People with pharyngitis or scarlet fever should stay home from work, school, or daycare until they are without fever.

For Public Places

Streptococcus pyogenes is extremely contagious. Crowded settings such as schools, daycare centers, nursing homes, and military camps facilitate the spread of the organism and may result in an epidemic. These places should take part in the following preventative actions:

Regularly disinfect high-contact surfaces.
Install mechanical ventilation, room air cleaners, or some device that introduces room air changes. Our Benefits of UV-C blog post compares the cost and efficiency of different models.

Get More Protection Against Streptococcus pyogenes with UV Disinfection

In addition to regular preventative measures, germicidal ultraviolet (UV-C) air and surface disinfection can inactivate Streptococcus pyogenes in in various locations where the risk of cross-infection is high, like hospitals, healthcare facilities, offices, schools, and auditoriums.

Learn about these applications:

Room Air Disinfection

View all UV-C Application Pages.

Our germicidal lamps produce ultraviolet wavelengths at 254 nanometers, the region of maximum germicidal effectiveness. Read our FAQ blog post to learn more. See dosage data below.

Several applications for UV air and surface disinfection of Streptococcus pyogenes

Streptococcus pyogenes: Classification & UV-C Dose for Inactivation

Organism:	Alternate Name:	Type:	Disease:	*UV Dose:**
Streptococcus pyogenes	Group A Streptococci	Bacteria	Strep Throat	.80 mJ/cm²

* Nominal Ultraviolet dosage necessary to inactivate better than 99% of microorganisms. See sources below.

Streptococcus pyogenes Symptoms

The most common symptoms associated with the bacterial infection Strep Throat are as follows:

Throat pain
Painful swallowing
Red and swollen tonsils
Tiny red spots
Swollen lymph nodes

Fever
Headache
Rash
Nausea or vomiting
Body aches

If you experience any of these symptoms, consult with a doctor as soon as possible. Get plenty of rest, stay hydrated and let your doctor know if symptoms persist longer than usual.

Possible Complications from Streptococcus pyogenes

Untreated Strep throat can lead to numerous complications, such as:

Kidney inflammation
Rheumatic feveropen_in_new, which can lead to painful and inflamed joints, a specific type of rash, or heart valve damage
Acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis, an inflammation and damage to the filtering part of the kidneys
Cellulitis
Scarlet Fever
Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome
Impetigo
Type II Necrotizing Fasciitis

Sources on Streptococcus pyogenes

The above information can be found on the following pages.

Dosage Source

Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Handbook: UVGI for Air and Surface Disinfection. Wladyslaw Kowalski. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2009.

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