Role of serotype and virulence determinants of Streptococcus pyogenes biofilm bacteria in internalization and persistence in epithelial cells in vitro.
Streptococcus pyogenes causes a multitude of local and systemic infections, the most common being pharyngitis in children. Recurrent pharyngeal infections are common and are thought to be due to the re-emergence of intracellular GAS upon completion of antibiotic treatment. The role of colonizing biofilm bacteria in this process is not fully clear. Here, live respiratory epithelial cells were inoc
