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In Europe, several children have died from the disease.
Now the number of cases of the invasive A-streptococcus bacteria is increasing in Sweden, reports say The medical journal.
– We have had very seriously ill children in Sweden from this. You can become extremely ill, in the worst case you can die, says pediatrician Jonas F Ludvigsson at the Karolinska Institutet.
The invasive bacterium A-streptococcus is spreading around Europe.
In Denmark, 35 people have died as a result of the disease since December, two of them were children under the age of 15. And in the UK, 40 children have died from the bacteria in recent months, according to TT.
Now the infection is also increasing in Sweden, reports The medical journal.
– Especially in the last few months, we have seen a little more cases, even if the numbers are relatively small, says Anders Lindblom, state epidemiologist, to Läkartidningen.
But pediatrician Jonas F Ludvigsson, who also works as a professor at the Karolinska Institutet, raises a finger of warning. He urges district doctors to keep an eye on the spread of A streptococcus among children right now.
– We have seen occasional very seriously ill children with group A streptococci in Sweden this winter, he says.
May lead to blood poisoning
A streptococcus has special properties that allow it to spread quickly in the body. The bacterium causes a sore throat and pneumonia, and can also lead to scarlet fever. But if you are unlucky, an infection can lead to blood poisoning.
– Then the child often goes into shock, and immediately needs extra fluids, antibiotics and often oxygen. It is a diagnosis that often requires intensive care. Often several organ systems in the body are affected, and the body’s coagulation system can go off the rails, he says.
According to Läkartidningen, other countries in Europe have reported an increased number of cases of scarlet fever in particular lately. State epidemiologist Anders Lindbom at the Public Health Agency tells the newspaper that it is the first winter with increased contacts after the pandemic, which means that immunity in society is worse.
– It is important to remember that it is a serious disease, which it is important to detect, Anders Lindblom tells the newspaper. .
Jonas F Ludvigsson recommends that children with a sore throat and high fever should be checked by health care to see that they do not have A streptococcus. Pencillin can have a good effect early in the infection.