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According to the new report from Public Health France, two children died of Streptococcus A infection in January. This increase in the number of cases at the beginning of January remains partly mysterious.
Since the beginning of the year, 30 new pediatric cases of invasive Group A Streptococcal infections – a generally mild disease – have been identified and two children have died.
Streptococcus A: the number of cases increased in early January
While a slight drop in cases had been recorded on French soil at the end of December, infections started to rise again at the start of the year:
“A further increase in the number of consultations and visits to the emergency room for non-invasive GAS infections (group A streptococcus), angina and scarlet fever has been observed since the beginning of January 2023“, informs Public Health France on February 7.
In total, in January alone, 30 cases were identified and two children died as a result of the infection (one in hospital, the other before hospitalization).
The National Public Health Agency specifies that the current epidemiological situation is not linked to the emergence of a new bacterial strain “but possibly to the increase in the frequency of the already known emm1 genotype“.
A worrying situation to say the least, which could result, at least in part, “a rebound after barrier measures in children whose immune system has not been in contact with the strains of group A streptococcus that usually circulate“, specifies Public Health France.
Infections, which are often the result of superinfections of viral respiratory infections.
The cause of this rebound remains poorly identified
Despite these few data, the resurgence of cases is still “poorly understood”, assures Dr. Kierzek.
“Infections can be invasive and turn into sepsis, the genotype of the bacteria may be involved… or a co-infection system – virus and bacteria – is responsible for the infection”, specifies the medical director of Doctissimo , before adding “The challenge is to quickly diagnose the infection using a StreptoTest. This can be done at a pharmacy or at a doctor’s office..”
To avoid streptococcal infection, certain hygiene practices must be followed, such as washing your hands, which reduces the spread of all types of GAS disease, or even coughing into your elbow or into a handkerchief (to prevent the spread of respiratory droplets).