Why Did Strep A Infection Rise Among Children In 2022

Post COVID-19 resulted in rise of the incidence of non-invasive Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections per 10,000 visits over time.

In March 2020, Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections fell by 80% and remained at their lowest level until March 2022 they rose to 18% a month, revealed research.

The study is being presented at the European Congress of Clinical //Microbiology & Infectious Diseases in Copenhagen, Denmark (15-18 April) and is by Dr Robert Cohen (Association Clinique et Thérapeutique Infantile du Val-de-Marne [ACTIV]), The French Ambulatory Paediatrics Association (AFPA) Paris (France), and Clinical Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Créteil - Créteil (France) and colleagues.

Strep A Infections Among Children in France Across 2022: A Growing Concern

The authors analyzed non-invasive GAS infections in a network of non-emergency pediatricians between January 2018 and December 2022. Clinicians evaluating children aged 15 years old and younger for tonsillopharyngitis, perianal infections, paronychia/blistering dactylitis and scarlet fever (all can be caused by GAS) were invited to perform a rapid antigen detection test (RADT) to confirm the presence of GAS infection.

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‘COVID-19 improvement measures were found to influence the epidemiology of non-invasive Streptococcus infections. Relaxation of pandemic measures resulted in rise of infections. ’

Incidence rates were modeled, considering two important timepoints: March 2020 (first national lockdown in France) and March 2022 (mask-wearing in schools no longer mandatory).

Over the study period, 125 pediatricians recorded 262,959 episodes of infectious diseases (118,035 children; median age 2.1 years). GAS-related illnesses represented 4.3% (n=11,701) of all infections. In March 2020, the incidence of GAS diseases decreased by around 80%. Between March 2020 and March 2022, the incidence remained low, with no significant trend (Figure).

After March 2022, the incidence significantly increased (by 17% per month;), with similar patterns across all GAS-related diseases, reaching levels way above those seen pre-COVID.

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Source-Eurekalert

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