where does the bacteria that causes strep throat come from
Streptococcal pharyngitis Strep throat is caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GAS or S. pyogenes).[11] Other bacteria such as non–group A beta-hemolytic streptococci and fusobacterium may also cause pharyngitis.[8][10] It is spread by direct, close contact with an infected person; thus crowding, as may be found in the military and schools, increases the rate of transmission.[10][12] Dried bacteria in dust are not infectious, although moist bacteria on toothbrushes or similar items can persist for up to fifteen days.[10] Contaminated food can result in outbreaks, but this is rare.[10] Of children with no signs or symptoms, 12% carry GAS in their pharynx,[5] and, after treatment, approximately 15% of those remain positive, and are true "carriers".[13]
Bacteria The ancestors of modern bacteria were unicellular microorganisms that were the first forms of life to appear on Earth, about 4 billion years ago. For about 3 billion years, most organisms were microscopic, and bacteria and archaea were the dominant forms of life.[20][21] Although bacterial fossils exist, such as stromatolites, their lack of distinctive morphology prevents them from being used to examine the history of bacterial evolution, or to date the time of origin of a particular bacterial species. However, gene sequences can be used to reconstruct the bacterial phylogeny, and these studies indicate that bacteria diverged first from the archaeal/eukaryotic lineage.[22] The most recent common ancestor of bacteria and archaea was probably a hyperthermophile that lived about 2.5 billionâ€“3.2 billion years ago.[23][24]