2024-01-17 18:32:44
“Initial laboratory data indicate that disease activity [invasive à streptocoque du groupe A] in 2023 was higher than in pre-pandemic years, particularly among children under 15 years old,” said a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in a statement shared with CTVNews .That.
This text is the translation from a CTV News article.
As of January 9, PHAC’s National Microbiology Laboratory has recorded more than 4,600 cases since 2023, which is the highest annual total ever recorded in Canada. According to PHAC, invasive group A streptococcus is endemic in the country, with 2,000 to 3,000 cases reported annually in recent years.
“The previous peak occurred in 2019, with 3,236 cases submitted,” explained a PHAC spokesperson. “The largest increases continue to be detected in children under 15.”
Infections with group A strep bacteria are usually mild and cause strep throat, which can usually be treated with antibiotics. More serious, invasive infections are much less common, but potentially fatal.
Invasive group A streptococcus occurs when bacteria causes a more serious infection, such as in the blood. Invasive Group A Strep can cause lung infections such as pneumonia, flesh-eating disease or even toxic shock syndrome, which is when bacteria produce toxins that stop the body’s organs from functioning . According to an American study, around one in ten people die from invasive infections.
A Jan. 11 report from Public Health Ontario says 48 people have died from Strep A infections in the province since October, including six children under the age of 18.
“It is higher than the proportion of cases [de streptocoques invasifs du groupe A] within the same age group who had a fatal outcome reported during the same reporting period for the previous season…and exactly half of the total number of pediatric deaths reported in the entire 2022-23 season,” it says The report.
Provinces like British Columbia and Manitoba have also reported recent increases in cases.
PHAC says invasive group A streptococcus has been “a priority for surveillance and control” by provincial, territorial and federal authorities for more than two decades, and that all cases “must be reported” to health authorities. public health.
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