Rapid death due to group A streptococcal infections. Necrotizing fasciitis and acute bacterial myositis.

Soft tissue infections due to the group A Streptococcus are difficult to diagnose and rapidly fatal. They may present to the forensic pathologist as an "obscure autopsy". Death may occur within or outside the hospital and with or without a history of fulminant infection or predisposing factors. It is important for the pathologist to exclude this condition through awareness of its existence and by appropriate dissection with retention of materials for microbiological and histological examination.