Paediatric group A streptococcal disease in England from October to December, 2022

Abstract

Since October, 2022, England has been experiencing a national increase in group A streptococcal disease in children, including scarlet fever, pneumonia with empyema, and other invasive group A streptococcal disease presentations. 1 UKHSAResearch and analysis: Group A streptococcal infections: first update on seasonal activity in England, 2022 to 2023. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/group-a-streptococcal-infections-activity-during-the-2022-to-2023-season/group-a-streptococcal-infections-first-update-on-seasonal-activity-in-england-2022-to-2023Date: Dec 15, 2022 Date accessed: December 15, 2022 Google Scholar Current seasonal rates are higher than would be expected for this time of the year when compared with disease incidence before the COVID-19 pandemic and has been associated with increased primary care consultations for pharyngitis and scarlet fever in children and adults across all English regions. 2 UKHSAResearch and analysis: GP in hours—weekly bulletins for 2022. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gp-in-hours-weekly-bulletins-for-2022Date accessed: December 20, 2022 Google Scholar Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have also observed an increase in group A streptococcal infections identified through their own independent respective national surveillance. 3 Public Health ScotlandGroup A streptococcal infections. https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/a-to-z-of-topics/streptococcal-infections/group-a-streptococcal-infections/Date accessed: December 20, 2022 Google Scholar , 4 Public Health WalesStreptococcus A (strep A), scarlet fever and iGAS. https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/strep-a-scarlet-fever-and-igas/Date: Dec 13, 2022 Date accessed: December 20, 2022 Google Scholar , 5 HSC Public Health AgencyScarlet fever. https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/scarlet-feverDate: Dec 8, 2022 Date accessed: December 20, 2022 Google Scholar Other countries in Europe, including the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, and France, and internationally, including the USA, are also reporting similar concerns of increased group A streptococcal infections. 6 WHOIncrease in invasive group A streptococcal infections among children in Europe, including fatalities. https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/12-12-2022-increase-in-invasive-group-a-streptococcal-infections-among-children-in-europe--including-fatalitiesDate: Dec 12, 2022 Date accessed: December 20, 2022 Google Scholar , 7 Ledford H Why is strep A surging—and how worried are scientists?. Nature. 2022; (published online. Dec 9.)https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-04403-y Google Scholar