A 6-year-old girl died in the emergency room of Montauban hospital on December 20, 2022 following bacterial throat infection due to streptococcus A. This is the tenth death in France linked to this germ since last September, mainly children under 10 years old.
Arrived with the firefighters in a state deemed “extremely serious” in the emergency room of Montauban, a 6-year-old girl died on Tuesday December 20, 2022. The child had been treated for several days for bacterial angina. But his condition worsened suddenly.
Despite the immediate care of the doctors and nurses of the service, she might not be resuscitated. The samples showed the presence of a particularly aggressive and highly pathogenic strain of streptococcus A.
10 deaths in 4 months
A terrible tragedy that worries the health authorities. Since September 2022, the number of cases has increased. The latest human toll reports 59 cases recorded in France resulting in six deaths: five children and one adult. Three other deaths were also recorded before the patients were admitted to hospital. Mainly children under 10 years old.
In his latest report, Public Health France notes an increase in severe pediatric cases of IGAS (Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infection) hospitalized in critical care units since 1is September 2022. The majority of cases (66%) are linked to respiratory infections associated or not with toxic shock syndrome.
Strep throats are circulating a lot at the moment. We deal with it every day. If they are bacterial, antibiotics are needed. But this highly pathogenic germ is impossible to detect. This aggressive strain has been identified in Great Britain and in emergency services in several regions of France.
Hélène Pizzut, Chef du Samu 82
Symptoms of a noninvasive strep A infection include fever, sore throat, and mild skin infections like rashes, ulcers, bumps, and blisters.
But there are also four key signs to watch out for:
– Fever
– Intense muscle pain
– Localized muscle tenderness
– Redness around a wound
In order not to provoke a wave of psychosis in the population, the head of samu 82 wishes to respond to the concerns of parents:
If your child has angina with a fever that persists for more than 48 hours and his general condition is worrying, you should consult: first a local doctor.
Hélène Pizzut, Chef du samu 82
According to Public Health Francethe bacterium is transmitted by respiratory droplets and direct contact (nasal secretions, skin lesions, etc.).
To limit the risk of transmission, the authorities strongly advise adopting the same barrier gestures used once morest winter viruses:
– hand washing,
– wearing a mask for people with respiratory infections,
– sneeze or cough into the bend of the elbow.
The entourage of the child who died in the Montauban emergency room was treated as a preventive measure. All contact cases (family and classmates) received antibiotic treatment.
Santé Publique France explains that the resurgence of AGII might result, at least in part, from a rebound following barrier measures in children whose immune system has not been in contact with the strains of GAS that usually circulate. These infections are also frequently superinfections of viral respiratory infections, which are also on the increase.
