Health officials pay attention to invasive streptococcal infections in children

Invasive group A streptococci can lead to pneumonia, sepsis, toxic shock syndrome, a serious skin and tissue infection called Necrotizing fasciitisAlso called “cannibal disease”.

last week, world health organization issued an alert to watch for an increase in invasive streptococcal infections, mainly among children under the age of 10, in five countries: France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. At least 16 deaths have been reported in children under the age of 18 in the UK, and six cases of carnivorous disease have been reported in the Netherlands.

Millions of mild group A streptococcal infections (including strep throat) are reported each year in the United States, aAbout 14,000 to 25,000 Eight of the cases are invasive group A streptococcal disease, the CDC said.

In Massachusetts, hospitals report approximately 200 to 400 invasive streptococcal infections annually to the state health department from 2015 to this year. However, the department said in a statement that it had not seen a “notable trend” toward an increase in invasive streptococci so far.

Nationwide, in the last five years, 1,500 to 2,300 people have died each year from this form of infection, according to the CDC. However, health officials are now concerned because the recent surge in invasive infections in several states is occurring mainly among children.

Dr. Nicholas Nguyen, Associate Chief Medical Officer of Beth Israel Lahey Health and a family medicine practitioner, said: .

Doctors stress that invasive streptococci are rare, but if your child has a pneumonia-like cough with mucus and sputum rather than shortness of breath, lethargy, or a mild upper respiratory tract infection. , emphasizes the need for parents to contact their health care providers. early symptoms It includes fever, severe pain, redness, warmth, or swelling of the skin and, in carnivorous diseases, spreads rapidly and is accompanied by fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, and vomiting. Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome.

“Often, parents, guardians, and caretakers can notice when a child isn’t right,” Nguyen said.

european studies Posted online last week, Although not yet peer-reviewed, the Netherlands has seen a sharp rise in cases in children under the age of five. However, they said the recent increase in viral infections such as influenza may be related to the spike. The increased prevalence of infection is known to predispose to secondary bacterial infections, he said.

Or, says Dr. Rick Murray, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital, “Viruses and bacteria are conspirators in causing disease in humans.”

He said the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) surges in Massachusetts and many other states have introduced bacteria such as group A streptococci, causing high rates of these super-infections. I said it is possible.

“Viruses cause damage that allows bacteria to pass through mucous membranes and enter tissues,” he said.

“That’s what we worry about when the flu season is typically bad, or when it’s a very early flu season when some people haven’t been vaccinated yet,” Malley said. added Mr.

A Dutch study found that children had recently had chickenpox in one-third of the invasive streptococcal cases they studied. In the Netherlands, the chickenpox vaccine is not part of the mandatory childhood immunizations, and the country’s chickenpox prevalence this year was very high.

In Massachusetts, childhood chickenpox vaccination is mandatory. Influenza vaccination is not required, but recommended.

Marie urged parents to get their children vaccinated against the flu if they haven’t already.

When a doctor suspects a classic case of strep throat, he swabs the patient’s throat area. If so, a blood sample will be drawn and a biopsy will be performed if the bacteria appears to have spread to other tissues.

Doctors say prompt treatment with very common antibiotics will do the trick.

“The good news so far is that there are many options for group A streptococci,” Malley said.

Amoxicillin, a decades-old antibiotic, is becoming harder to find these days in the type of liquid formulations usually prescribed for young children. said Malley.

Another piece of advice from doctors is to think about prevention.

“Group A streptococci are spread by respiratory droplets and contact, so good hand hygiene is important,” says Nguyen, a physician at Beth Israel Lahey.

“If your kids have symptoms, make sure you don’t take them to school,” he said.

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Kay Lazar can be contacted at: [email protected] follow her on twitter @globekayLazar.