Strep A made headlines in the United States and Europe after the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) has announced higher than usual cases of invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS), a rare but serious strep A infection, in children in the UK this season. These serious cases have resulted in 60 deaths, including 15 in children under the age of 18, since September.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is also investigating a potential spike in iGAS cases in children in the US starting in November. 1, two American children died streptococcal A infections.
Although the news of serious Strep A infections and deaths is disturbing, the vast majority of these infections are mild and can be treated at home. Dr. Tiffany Kimbroughpediatrician at Richmond Children’s Hospital in VCU, tells Yahoo Life.
However, experts say it’s important for parents to know the signs of a strep infection – and when to see a doctor.
First, how do you get band A?
Strep A, also called group A streptococcus (group A streptococcus), is a type of bacteria that tends to infect the upper respiratory tract, causing infections such as strep throat but also skin and respiratory infections, Dr. Kelly Trott, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Yale Medicine, tells Yahoo Life. These skin infections include impetigo and cellulite.
Strep A is highly contagious and spreads easily from person to person. Katie M. Aquino, medical director of Baptist Health Urgent Care Express Palm Beach, told Yahoo Life. “Some of the most common ways it is spread are through close contact with someone who has strep throat, by sharing food, drink, or even breathing in their air droplets,” she says.
You can also catch it by touching a surface with the bacteria on it and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth, Kimbrough notes, or by moving sores or fluid from sores on the skin of a person with strep A.
What are the symptoms of a strep infection?
The most common symptom of strep A is a sore throat, often called strep throat, Kimbrough says. “It can be quite painful, especially if swallowed,” she says. Although strep throat can occur at any age, it is more common in children and adolescents 5 to 15 years old.
Other symptoms of strep A infection include fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, tiny red spots on the back roof of the mouth, red and swollen tonsils, white spots on the tonsils, nausea or vomiting (especially in young children) and rash. , according to Kimbrough. However, she points out that coughing and a runny nose are not typical symptoms of strep A and are more likely signs of a viral infection.
Another sign of a strep infection is a rough, red rash on the face which then spreads to other parts of the body. It can be a sign of scarlet fever, which usually appears a few days after a strep infection.
When is a strep A infection serious?
Most of the time, strep A causes only mild to moderate illness, Acquino says. But in rare cases, it can become serious if left untreated or if the bacteria spreads to other parts of the body.
Invasive group A streptococcus, which causes the most serious strep A infectionsThis happens when bacteria enter the body and evade its defenses, Trott explains. This invasion can occur when a person has open sores or other skin lesions that allow bacteria to enter the body.
Trott also notes that people with health conditions that weaken the immune system, such as diabetes, cancer, or kidney disease, are prone to iGAS when they have strep A.
Serious and life-threatening conditions such as necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease), meningitis (inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord) or toxic shock syndrome also occur with iGAS, according to Trott. Other serious complications of strep A, Acquino says, include rheumatic fever and a kidney disease known as post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis.
Acquino recommends that parents get their child for strep when they have a sore throat, to reduce their risk of complications from strep A – particularly tested if the Sore throat is severe and comes on suddenly And it is also accompanied by a fever of 101 degrees or higher, difficulty swallowing, or swollen lymph nodes.
If your child has symptoms such as swelling, decreased alertness, rapid breathing, changes in skin color, ulcers or blisters on the skin, severe stomach pain or decreased urination, Kimbrough recommends seeking immediate medical attention.
How is strep A usually treated?
Many symptoms of strep A resemble those of viral infections, such as the flu, Kimbrough says. So, before prescribing treatment, a doctor will perform a throat culture with a quick swab along the back of the throat.
If the test comes back positive for strep A, antibiotic treatment can be prescribed usually – penicillin or amoxicillin – for 10 days. Antibiotics are also used to treat scarlet fever. However, finding amoxicillin may not be easy – as Kimbrough points out, the US is currently experimenting with it. a shortage of amoxicillin.
Aquino notes that the deficiency primarily affects amoxicillin oral suspension, which is primarily prescribed to children. “Currently we had a few pharmacies calling us after prescribing an antibiotic, specifically amoxicillin, informing us that they didn’t have the dose we prescribed, but they were able to change the dose or the mode. administration,” she said. This could mean having to “switch from liquid medication to chewable tablets or even tablets,” says Acquino. “The tablets can be crushed and sprinkled into liquids or foods such as applesauce” to make it easier for children to swallow the drug.
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