Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of Streptococcus pyogenes or group-A Streptococcus bacteria bound to a human neutrophil. S. pyogenes is a gram-positive spherical (coccus) bacteria. Humans may carry it harmlessly in their throat or on the skin. Pathogenic strains can cause mild skin infections such as impetigo, uterine infection after childbirth, and blood poisoning (septicaemia). However, they can occasionally cause severe and even life-threatening disease and Streptococcus group A1 can be a deadly form of flesh eating bacteria.