Cases of group A streptococcus in Canada have skyrocketed, resembling flu, and children have been hospitalized and died. In Canada, now this flu season, government data shows that cases of group A streptococcus are surging, especially among children, with hospital admissions and deaths.
"Preliminary data suggest that iGAS disease activity is higher in 2023 than in pre-pandemic years, especially among children under 15 years of age," PHAC, a public health agency, told Global News in an emailed statement. ”
Federal, provincial and local governments have made invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS) a priority for surveillance and control and require cases to be reported to public health agencies.
iGAS is a condition in which bacteria cause a deep infection and isolate from a normally sterile site, such as blood. Respiratory viruses such as influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) may increase the risk of group A streptococcus. PHAC notes that iGAS is endemic in Canada, with 2,000 to 3,000 cases reported annually in recent years.
Dr Domink Mertz, head of the infectious disease sub-unit at McMaster University, said: "I don't think the level of concern has changed much from last year to the year before. "Invasive group A streptococcal infections are still rare, but we do see a trend of increasing the number of cases," he said in an interview with Global News. ”
Children in Ontario have been hospitalized and died as a result. As of 30 November 2023, 303 cases of invasive group A streptococcus have been reported. Of these, 13 children aged 1 to 4 and 9 children aged 5 to 12 were hospitalized with iGAS, and three children under the age of 18 died.
Symptoms and source of infection: Group A streptococcus is a bacterium found on the skin and throat that can be spread through contact with skin wounds or respiratory fluids of an infected person. PHAC said most cases of non-invasive infections had mild symptoms such as fever, sore throat and rash.
Group A streptococcal infections are more common in children and less common in adults. Infected people usually spread the germs through hand hygiene (washing their hands or using hand sanitizer). Prevention and treatment: There is currently no vaccine for group A streptococcus, but experts recommend getting vaccinated against respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19 and influenza, to limit the possibility of developing a severe infection.
Experts also recommend practicing good hand Xi, including washing hands or using hand sanitizer. For group A streptococcus, antibiotics are an effective treatment, including both invasive and non-invasive infections. Because group A streptococcus susceptibility to penicillin is "consistently 100%", infections can be easily treated.
PHAC recommends staying home for 24 hours after starting antibiotic therapy after a confirmed diagnosis of streptococcal A infection to prevent others from becoming infected. Dr. Rubin says that usually within 18 hours of receiving antibiotic treatment, the body is no longer contagious to others. If a child experiences shortness of breath, progressive lethargy, or fever that does not improve, Dr. Conway recommends consulting a health care provider.
Whether group A streptococcus is seasonal: Group A streptococcal infections can occur throughout the year, with peaks and troughs over time. According to Dr. Rubin, infections that are easily transmissible at this time, such as group A streptococcus, usually have an increased incidence at this time.
Dr Conway said group A streptococcus could be a "serious secondary infection" of respiratory viruses, which themselves are not seasonal, and Canada is now in this period. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a "certain degree of seasonality" for group A streptococcus, but not as compared to respiratory illnesses such as influenza.
Dr Mertz noted that it is difficult to predict what will happen in the coming months and whether it will increase as we head into spring, although the same degree of seasonality may not be seen now.