We characterized the epidemiology, host-pathogen characteristics, and outcomes of severe adult pulmonary Streptococcus pyogenes infections that coincided with a high community caseload in central Scotland, UK. The pulmonary infections had high illness and death rates and were associated with socioeconomic deprivation, influenza A co-infection, and the M1UK lineage of S. pyogenes.
Keywords: M1UK; Scotland; Streptococcus pyogenes; United Kingdom; bacteria; group A Streptococcus; necrotizing pneumonia; respiratory infections; streptococci.