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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Feb 1.
Published in final edited form as: Am J Reprod Immunol. 2011 Oct 24;67(2):91–100. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0897.2011.01083.x

Figure 1. Potential routes of GAS infection during pregnancy and postpartum.

Figure 1

GAS can enter the incision made during cesarean section, leading to a quickly disseminating infection. GAS infections can also result from distal infections (i.e. pharyngitis) where the bacterium travels through the bloodstream, infecting the reproductive tract and developing fetus. The vagina is another source of GAS infections when maternal colonization is present or when the perineum is contaminated after environmental exposures to GAS.