Severe group A streptococcus infection is increasingly being diagnosed in children

Follow-up research is urgently needed to determine the impact of iGAS in the Netherlands and Europe

Severe group A streptococcal infections (iGAS) have been observed more than usual in children in the last year. Although these serious infections are still very rare, the number of children arriving at hospital with them has increased significantly since the beginning of 2022, according to research by Juliana Children’s Hospital, in collaboration with other hospitals. In several cases, the children died in hospital from the infection. Follow-up research is urgently needed to determine the impact of iGAS in the Netherlands and Europe.

Group A strep can occur as a harmless bacteria in the throat and on the skin and sometimes cause a throat infection or scarlet fever. In rare cases, a serious infection such as blood poisoning, pneumonia, severe infection under the skin, or bone infection develops.

Increase after lifting of COVID measures
The 7 Dutch hospitals that participated in the study saw significantly more children with severe group A streptococcal infection in the months after the COVID measures were lifted than in previous years. In the second quarter of this year, 28 children were hospitalized with a serious infection. In the second quarter of 2019 there were 9, in 2018 only 2. Serious infections occurred mainly in children under 5 years of age.

More dead
Of the 61 children who ended up in one of these 7 hospitals with a group A strep infection after the lifting of COVID measures, 5 children did not survive the disease. This is also a remarkably high number. In the 2 years before the start of the COVID pandemic, this infection only resulted in a death 1 time. Follow-up research should reveal why there are now so many more serious group A strep infections among young children.

Europe
In other European countries, including the UK, there also appears to be an increase in severe group A streptococcal infection among children. The WHO also reports an increase in several European countries.

A child with a fever usually has a harmless infection. However, it is good to be vigilant. On the site Thuisarts.nl – my child has a fever is declared when parents should contact the doctor immediately.

The following hospitals participated in the study: Juliana Children’s Hospital (Haga Hospital), Haaglanden Medical Center, St Antonius Hospital, Maasstad Hospital, Sophia Children’s Hospital Erasmus MC, Amalia Children’s Hospital Radboud UMC, Maastricht UMC+, Amsterdam UMC