Recurrent Tonsillitis Tfh Cells Acquire a Killer Identity

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection causes recurrent tonsillitis (RT) in some individuals. A recent study (Dan et al. Sci. Transl. Med. 2019;11:eaau3776) demonstrates that RT is associated with an impaired antibody response against a key streptococcal virulence factor. This factor, SpeA, can induce abnormal T follicular helper (Tfh) cells that are able to kill B cells