Given the recent media coverage, there has been a lot of understandable concern from patients about Group A Steptococcal infection.
I thought it would be useful to give you the key facts to be aware of.
- Group A Streptococcus (group A strep) is a bacteria that can cause many different infections such tonsillitis, scarlet fever and skin infections
- This bacteria often live in the nose and throat. People who are infected spread the bacteria by talking, coughing, or sneezing, which creates respiratory droplets that contain the bacteria.
- The reason it is being raised in the media is because we are seeing a rise in the number of cases of the severe type of group A Streptococcus. The numbers we are seeing each week are not as high as we normally see at the peak of the season but are much higher than we have seen at this time of year for the past five years.
- One reason for the rise in cases is potentially linked to lower immunity among children as a result of restrictions on social mixing during the covid pandemic.
- It is important to remember that in the majority of cases symptoms are mild, however, a small proportion of children can develop an infection where the bacteria enters the bloodstream and this can make them very sick.
Signs to watch for in your child and when to seek medical attention:
- a persistently (more than 3 days) high temperature >38 C
- a pinkish or red body rash ( skin-coloured in darker skinned individuals) where the skin feels like sandpaper
- a ‘strawberry’ tongue where the tongue is bright red
- Child more lethargic/ drowsiness, and not wanting to eat or drink
- passing less urine compared with normal