Rapidly Fatal Hemorrhagic Pneumonia and Group A Streptococcus Serotype M1

We report 3 cases of fulminant hemorrhagic pneumonia in previously health patients. Sudden-onset hemoptysis and dyspnea developed; all 3 patients and died <12 h later of massive pulmonary bleeding, despite aggressive supportive care. Postmortem analysis showed that the illnesses were caused by group A Streptococcus emm1/sequence type 28 strains.

Fulminant hemorrhagic pneumonia caused by Group A Streptococcus (GAS) has never been reported. We describe three cases caused by emm1/sequence type 28 GAS strains in previously healthy patients.All developed sudden-onset hemoptysis and dyspnea and died < 12 h later of massive pulmonary bleeding, despite aggressive supportive care.