Over the past week or so, we have all been hearing about the rising number of cases of Group A streptococcus and the very sad deaths of 6 children under the age of 10 here in the UK.
This has undoubtedly caused a lot of anxiety and worry for parents. So, in this blog post, we detail exactly what this infection is, the symptoms and why this is happening.
Please do contact your private GP should you be concerned about anything at all. The invasive form of the infection is very rare, but it’s important you talk to your GP should you be worried about anything.
Contact us on 0333 050 7338 or email info@linburydoctors.co.uk.
What is Group A Streptococcus?
Group A Strep is bacteria which often lives in our throat or on our skin. It usually causes mild illnesses such as sore throats, skin or an illness called scarlet fever, where children have a fever, a sand-paper-like rash, and a sore throat.
In a small number of cases, it is causing life-threatening illnesses, which we call Invasive Group A streptococcus (IGAS). These are the cases we have been hearing about in the media at the moment. Although these cases are rare, it is important to know when to seek medical attention.
The symptoms of a severe or developing Group A Streptococcus infection are:
- A fever persisting for more than 4-5 days
- Fever not settling with regular antipyretics
- Lethargy or drowsiness
- Difficulty breathing
- Poor drinking or less wet nappies/ urine output
- Muscle pains
- Pain in one area of the body
- Spreading redness of the skin
The majority of cases of Group A streptococcus can be treated successfully with oral antibiotics (usually penicillin or an alternative if there is an allergy), but some children will need to be treated in the hospital with antibiotics via a drip if there are any worrying signs of the disease progressing.
There are other winter viruses circulating at the moment as well which are self-limiting.
Why is there a rise in infection at the moment?
In the first 2 years of the pandemic, there was little Group A Streptococcus circulating in the population due to the lack of mixing. As we are now mingling again, it is now starting to circulate and we are seeing higher numbers than we would normally see (we normally see peaks in the spring and summer).
Because the levels of infection are higher, sadly the number of severe cases corresponds and is also higher.
If you have any concerns, get in touch with us at 0333 050 7338 and speak to your named Dr for advice.
