A streptococcal infections are caused by several different types of A streptococci. Some of these, such as the emm1 type, are known to be associated with severe soft tissue infections and other serious conditions
In drip. Treatment of severe streptococcal A infection is started in the hospital with intravenous antibiotics. Illustration picture
A-streptococcus has caused many serious infections this winter, says THL. Serious infections refer to infections in connection with which the bacterium is detected in the blood or cerebrospinal fluid.
A total of 428 cases were reported in 2023. There were the most cases in January (50) and December (43). In January 2024, the number of serious A streptococcus cases continued to increase and 66 cases were reported.
The previous peak of prevalence was in 2018, when 372 cases were reported. The number of cases decreased during the corona pandemic in 2020–2022, when the number varied between 193 and 229 cases per year.
A-streptococcal cases are typically concentrated in the winter months, which partly explains the high number of cases observed in January.
A streptococcal infections are caused by several different types of A streptococci. Some of these, such as the emm1 type, are known to be associated with severe soft tissue infections and other serious diseases. Several European countries have reported an increase in the number of group A streptococcal infections from the end of 2022, but also an increase in the number of the emm1 type.
In Finland, no specific A streptococcus type has been the cause of serious infections. The most common type detected in 2023 was emm59, which caused 24 percent of the cases. The type in question was detected in Finland for the first time in 2021, after which the share of the emm59 type as the cause of invasive infections has increased every year.
The proportion of emm1 type was also higher in 2023 compared to the previous year, but the number of cases remained lower compared to the years 2017–2019, when emm1 was the dominant type in Finland. In January 2024, the most common emm types causing serious infection were emm12 (23 percent) and emm1 (16 percent).
According to THL, serious infections are concentrated in older age groups. Of the serious group A streptococcal infections reported in 2023, the proportion of people over 65 was 43 percent. Serious infections in children are rare and only 4 percent of cases were found in children under 15 years of age. In addition to old age, other predisposing factors to serious infection are diseases that weaken the body’s defenses and the use of injection drugs.
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