<\/p>
Since September, there have been 510 cases of a rare but serious invasive Strep A bacteria infection known as iGAS in England, with 16 children dying across the UK.<\/p>\n
Dr Colin Brown<\/a>, deputy director of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has said that while iGAS is uncommon<\/a>, \u201cit is important that parents are on the lookout for symptoms and see a doctor as quickly as possible so that their child can be treated and we can stop the infection becoming serious.\u201d<\/p>\n Many other healthcare professionals have warned the panic surrounding Strep A is likely to have a worse impact than the bacteria itself, with a sharp demand for antibiotics drastically driving up prices.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of anxiety at the moment, but there are enough antibiotics,\u201d Dr Elizabeth Whittaker<\/a>, senior clinical lecturer in paediatric infectious diseases and immunology at Imperial College London, tells BBC Science Focus<\/em>. \u201cThis bacteria is very sensitive and most antibiotics \u2013 if they\u2019re needed \u2013 can kill this bacteria.\u201d<\/p>\n So, when are antibiotics needed? Why is there such a rise in cases this year? Can adults get Strep A? And just how worried should we be? With the help of key healthcare experts, we explore all below.<\/p>\n Strep A \u2013 also known as Group A streptococcus (GAS) \u2013 is a bacteria that can be found in a person\u2019s throat or skin. And for most people, it lives in their bodies without causing illness.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s part of the normal repertoire of bacteria that people usually have transiently at some point in their lifetime. For most people, it will never cause a problem and they won\u2019t even know they have it,\u201d Dr Simon Clarke<\/a>, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, tells BBC Science Focus<\/em>.<\/p>\n The bacteria mainly spreads through coughs, sneezes or any open cuts. If somebody is showing symptoms of infection, they are far likelier to transmit the bacteria.<\/p>\n The majority of people who carry Strep A will not experience any symptoms. However, some will become ill from the bacteria.<\/p>\n According to Clarke, there is no one specific symptom that will absolutely indicate your illness is a Strep infection. Symptoms of a Strep A infection include:<\/p>\n It\u2019s this last symptom that may cause concern, particularly for parents. \u201cThis is where the child has a very high fever, a sore throat and a red tongue, a red face and a very red rash. This rash should feel rough when you touch it. That\u2019s important as children with certain skin colours may not look as red,\u201d explains Whittaker.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it is scarlet fever, we would always say it\u2019s sensible to give antibiotics to avoid it becoming a more worrying invasive infection.\u201d<\/p>\n In very rare cases, the Strep A bacteria evade the body\u2019s defences and get into areas such as the lungs or bloodstream. This more serious invasive infection, known as iGAS, can be deadly in a small number of cases.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not sure why in some people the bacteria changes into a harmful pathogen and causes disease. However, the chances of developing iGAS are slim. Very, very slim,\u201d says Clarke.<\/p>\n Whittaker adds: \u201cMost people get Strep infections in their lives. And most get better without any treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n Yes. While much attention has been given to children that have developed disease from Strep A, adults can also carry the bacteria. In fact, the majority of people who have died from iGAS in England this year have been above the age of 45 (42 deaths, as of 8 December<\/a>).<\/p>\n However, figures suggest younger people are more likely to become ill from Strep A than adults below 60, with 24 per cent of iGAS infections reported so far this season being in children under 10.<\/p>\n \u201cAny age group can get this bacteria. There is some evidence that the bacteria are most commonly detected in children and young adults because it may be more likely to cause disease there,\u201d says Clarke.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, if this is the case, it\u2019s not comprehensively certain why. Is it because younger people don\u2019t have such a well-developed immune system as somebody older? Perhaps, but this is not yet clear.\u201d<\/p>\n While news of any child\u2019s death is undoubtedly painful, the wide scientific consensus in the UK is that Strep A is not a serious crisis.<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough the absolute number of cases has gone up, the relative risk of severe disease to an individual is still extremely low,\u201d explains Whittaker.<\/p>\n Strep A is also far from the leading cause of death in children. Comparisons can be difficult, but so far this season, 13 people under the age of 14 have died in England from iGAS<\/a> (12 September \u2013 8 December). This is a small number compared to the 224 children aged 1 to 14 \u00a0that have died in total during a similar period in England and Wales (9 September \u2013 25 November 2022<\/a>).<\/p>\n Also worthy of note: the UK has endured several waves of Strep A infections in the past. The country saw cases of iGAS rising in both 2014 and 2017, with total incidents still well below current figures.<\/p>\n The key difference from previous waves? This year, Strep A infections are rising much earlier than predicted.<\/p>\n \u201cThe numbers are higher than we would normally expect. We don\u2019t really know why that is,\u201d says Clarke. \u201cSome have said that we\u2019re at the peak of cases at the moment and that the peak is much earlier than expected. But we don\u2019t know this is the peak. So the numbers might get bigger. In that regard, watch this space.\u201d<\/p>\n However, for Whittaker, this is still not reason for panic. \u201cUltimately, we need parents to take a deep breath and treat their child as they normally would. Take a look at the NHS Healthier Together<\/a> website and check if they are at risk. If you\u2019re worried it\u2019s best to be objective and do a little assessment before going straight to A&E.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n Currently, it is unclear why the number of people falling ill due to the Strep A bacteria is higher than average.<\/p>\n Importantly, Strep A is far from a new bacteria and has been known for decades. Additionally, according to the UKHSA, infections have fortunately not been caused by a dangerous new strain of the bacteria<\/a>.<\/p>\n So, if the bacteria itself is largely unchanged from previous years, what is causing the spread now? While scientists can\u2019t be sure, there are two main theories.<\/p>\n The first: people are simply socialising a lot more this winter than in the last two years. And with little previous in-person mixing, the population as a whole has less immunity, which increases transmission.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be clear, this isn\u2019t just about schools,\u201d says Whittaker. \u201cMost of the Strep A infections only really started circulating when adults\u2019 behaviour changed. Lockdowns and school closures are not one of the same thing.<\/p>\n \u201cAs people have just gone back to normal, a lot of bugs have been able to circulate more easily.\u201d<\/p>\n This theory is not proven, however. The cause may be elsewhere.<\/p>\n \u201cOthers have suggested that there is an increase in viruses such as the flu or respiratory syncytial virus in children. And it\u2019s possibly this that\u2019s making them susceptible to bacterial infections,\u201d says Clarke.<\/p>\n The exact reason behind rising child flu numbers is also unclear. According to the UKHSA, this could be partly a result of waning immunity due to COVID restrictions, or an 11 per cent fall in the uptake of the flu vaccine among 2-and-3-year-olds<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dr Liz Whittaker is senior clinical lecturer in paediatric infectious diseases and immunology at Imperial College London. She also works as a consultant at the department of paediatric infectious diseases and immunology, St Mary\u2019s Hospital, London. Additionally, Whittaker is the convener of the British Paediatric Allergy, Immunity and Infection Group.<\/p>\n Dr Simon Clarke is associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading. His research areas include immunology, and staphylococcal infections of the cardiovascular system.<\/p>\n Read more about bacteria and viruses:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> <\/body><\/html>\n By Thomas Ling Published: Tuesday, 13 December 2022 at 12:00 am Since September, there have been 510 cases of a rare but serious invasive Strep A bacteria infection known as iGAS in England, with 16 children dying across the UK. Dr Colin Brown, deputy director of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has said that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":21197,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"7"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/12\/strep-a-explained-can-adults-get-it-will-it-cause-an-antibiotics-shortage.jpg",940,400,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/12\/strep-a-explained-can-adults-get-it-will-it-cause-an-antibiotics-shortage-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/12\/strep-a-explained-can-adults-get-it-will-it-cause-an-antibiotics-shortage-300x128.jpg",300,128,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/12\/strep-a-explained-can-adults-get-it-will-it-cause-an-antibiotics-shortage-768x327.jpg",768,327,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/12\/strep-a-explained-can-adults-get-it-will-it-cause-an-antibiotics-shortage.jpg",800,340,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/12\/strep-a-explained-can-adults-get-it-will-it-cause-an-antibiotics-shortage.jpg",940,400,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/12\/strep-a-explained-can-adults-get-it-will-it-cause-an-antibiotics-shortage.jpg",940,400,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Thomas Ling Published: Tuesday, 13 December 2022 at 12:00 am Since September, there have been 510 cases of a rare but serious invasive Strep A bacteria infection known as iGAS in England, with 16 children dying across the UK. Dr Colin Brown, deputy director of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has said that…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/21196"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What is Strep A? How does it spread?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What are the symptoms of Strep A?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Can adults get Strep A?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How worried should we be about Strep A?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Why have there been so many cases this year?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
About our experts, Dr Elizabeth Whittaker and Dr Simon Clarke<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n
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