After six infants died from an invasive type of Strep A, health officials are encouraging parents to be on the lookout for indications of the bacterial infection.
Strep A infections are often minor, with symptoms ranging from sore throat to scarlet fever, but they can progress to a more severe invasive Group A Strep (iGAS) infection.
This year, according to experts, there are more Strep A instances than typical.
Professor Beate Kampmann advised anxious parents to seek medical assistance.
Health officials reported on Friday that six children have died from iGAS since September, including five youngsters under the age of 10 in England and one girl from Wales. There have been no confirmed fatalities in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
The last time there was an outbreak of Strep A infection, according to the UK Health Security Agency, was in 2017-18, when there were four deaths in England.
The growth of Strep The UKHSA stated that a rise in cases and fatalities is most likely attributable to high levels of germs in circulation and greater social mixing.
Prof. Kampmann, a pediatrician specializing in infectious illnesses, stated that Strep A caused “an asymptomatic infection in the majority of people, then sore throat, then scarlet fever, and in a very, very small minority, invasive Group A Strep.”
She stated that there were three times as many cases of scarlet fever this year compared to pre-pandemic levels “It begins with a high fever, a very sore throat, and a very red tongue with papillae, finally evolving into a rash that feels like sandpaper.
“The rash begins at the elbows and the back of the neck. Because the disease is caused by a toxin produced by this bacterium, the plant tends to peel after approximately 10 days.”
Prof. Kampmann stated that if children became gravely ill or if parents were uncertain, they should seek medical attention. She also stated that youngsters with fevers should miss school.
The good news is that Group A Strep is extremely curable with penicillin, she said.
However, she noted, “if your child is deteriorating in any way, if they are not eating, drinking, and are fairly listless and lethargic, you should take them to the doctor and have them examined.”
The most recent data indicates that 851 instances of scarlet fever were reported during the week of November 14-20, compared to an average of 186 during the previous five years.
The spike in Strep A infections, according to virologist Dr. Chris Smith, may be attributed to a decline in immunity following the pandemic.
He stated: “There’s something about the population’s sensitivity, particularly among younger individuals.
“What has changed is that the younger generation has endured nearly three years of relative isolation from one another.
“They have not contracted the typical infections at the normal rates and at the regular times at which normal youngsters of their age would have.
Therefore, we question if there is a sudden increase in the number of instances.
This year, there have been 2,3 cases of invasive Strep A illness per 100,000 children aged one to four in England, compared to an average of 0.5 cases per 100,000 children during pre-pandemic seasons of 2017-19, according to the UKHSA.
Additionally, there have been 1.1 cases per 100,000 children aged five to nine, compared to a pre-pandemic average of 0.3 cases per 100,000 for the same age group.
UKHSA recommends calling 999 or going to A&E if:
- Your youngster is having trouble breathing; you may observe grunting sounds or stomach sucking under the ribcage.
- There are breaks in your child’s breathing.
- Your child has blue skin, tongue, and lips.
- Your youngster is drowsy and refuses to wake up or remain awake.
