Advances in immune mechanism of recurrent group A Streptococcus tonsillitis in children

Abstract

Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus (GAS) is a common infectious agent in children which may cause recurrent inflammation of the tonsils, known as recurrent group A Streptococcus tonsillitis (GAS-RT). Recent studies found that GAS-RT is not an infectious disease as traditional sense, but rather than an immunosensitive disease that evades the immune response through the interaction between superantigens (SAgs) and follicular helper T cells (Tfh) in the germinal center (GC), which exerts a cytotoxic effects on B cells in the GC. This theory suggested a potential new strategy for clinical treatement.

Keywords

• recurrent tonsillitis|immune mechanism|streptococcus pyrogenic exotoxins a|t follicular helper cells|bacteriotherapy