‘Strep A’ bacteria kills 6 children in UK; know what it is and how to treat it

UK health authorities are advising parents and schools to watch for Strep A infections following the recent deaths of six children.

With Covid-19 restrictions such as mask wearing and social distancing no longer required in the UK, infections like Strep A are spreading more easily, with cases picking up last month.

Also known as Group A Streptococcus (GAS), Strep A can cause a variety of symptoms ranging from mild to severe, but it is not fatal for most people infected.

Does not always cause symptoms

Strep A is a bacteria found in the throat and on the skin. It usually causes fever and strep throat, and many people carry it without any symptoms. However, they can still spread it to others through coughing, sneezing and close contact.

Symptoms of the infection include pain when swallowing, fever, rash, and swollen tonsils and glands, with the infection common in crowded environments such as schools and day care centers, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says on its website.

“The infection tends to be quite harmless,” Beate Kampmann, professor of Pediatric Infection and Immunity and director of the Vaccine Center at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said in a statement on Friday.

“But in very rare circumstances, when the bacteria produces a toxin, it can gain access to the bloodstream and cause really serious illnesses,” such as sepsis, heart inflammation and toxic shock with organ failure, she said.

She advised parents to seek medical advice immediately if a child appears “very ill” with symptoms such as fever, vomiting, muscle pain or a rash.

Usually treatable with antibiotics

Invasive Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) is the term used when the bacteria invades the body, overcoming its natural defenses to enter areas such as the blood, and is most dangerous, explains the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on its website.

While there is no vaccine to prevent Strep A or iGAS infections, antibiotics are usually effective in treating it.

“We are seeing a higher number of group A streptococcal cases this year than usual,” Colin Brown, deputy director of the UKHSA, said in a statement on Friday.

The increase in iGAS this year was seen mainly in children under 10, the UKHSA added. Five children died in England. One death has been reported in Wales, according to Public Health Wales.

UKHSA data shows there were 2.3 cases per 100,000 children aged 1-4 years between mid-September and mid-November, compared with an average of 0.5 in pre-pandemic seasons (2017-2019).

For children ages 5 to 9, there were 1.1 cases per 100,000, compared to the pre-pandemic average of 0.3.

The last period of high infections was between 2017 and 2018, with four children under 10 dying in the equivalent period, the statement added.

The UKHSA said it does not believe a new strain is circulating, with the rise in infections likely to be a result of “circulating bacteria and social mixing”.