History of Streptococcus PyogenesSummary: With the first records dating back to the fifth century BC, Streptococcus pyogenes, and more commonly, its symptoms have been prevalent among doctors and historians for hundreds of years . The first mention of Streptococcus pyogenes must be attributed to Hippocrates, in which he describes the relative symptoms of the carnivorous bacteria in its early stages. Then represented by Billroth in 1874, it was determined that patients with erysipelas suffered from this certain bacterial infection. In 1883, chain-forming bacteria were isolated by Fehleisen; and the following year Rosenbach applied the name S. pyogenes. Further advances in hemolytic and nonhemolytic studies were made by Lancefield in the 1930s, in which the alpha, beta, and gamma subgroups of hemolytic structures – detailed and defined by Schottmueller and Brown – were divided into serotypes. Although he lived four centuries before the birth of Christ, a man named Hippocrates recorded the symptoms of diseases that we still see today. Known as the "Father of Medicine" (Hippocrates), Hippocrates was an ancient physician who studied and recorded his observations on infections and the physiology of the body. He laid the foundation for future physicians, and in doing so, he is credited for our knowledge of infectious diseases from previous centuries. However, at that time, many believed that the earth and its inhabitants were composed of four general elements: air, water, fire, and earth. They also believed that anyone who fell ill was punished by the gods. However, as a far-sighted thinker, Hippocrates encouraged the idea that humans fell ill from natural causes. In this wisdom, he recorded all his observations about his patients and their illnesses, taking careful note of the bodily symptoms and their progression. Described in his works, Hippocrates mentioned symptoms similar to scarlet fever2, ones that correlate with today's flesh-eating bacteria. known as Streptococcus pyogenes. Thanks to Hippocrates' action as a pioneer in the medical field, these chronicles are the first records we have of the existence of the bacteria. Centuries later, another man began to describe the characteristics and symptoms of several conditions in more detail. Theodor Billroth, a Viennese surgeon, described streptococci, staphylococci, diplococci, and even rods found in pus as intervals considered to belong to a distinct species: Coccobacteria septica (race). He studied the roles of bacteria and investigated their origin. Billroth noticed specific bacteria in people with erysipelas; he named the bacteria streptococcus from the two Greek words strepto meaning chain formed of links and coccus meaning berry..