2024-02-23 23:58:11
Public Health confirms that the number of cases of invasive group A streptococcal infection – commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria – is on the rise in the province.
At the start of the week, Acadie Nouvelle reported the misadventure of Marie-Ève Roy, this hairdresser from Campbellton who had to undergo emergency surgery following contracting flesh-eating bacteria.
She said she had to rush to the hospital following feeling severe and persistent pain in her hand. After a few tests, the verdict was in and she had to be operated on quickly to prevent the spread of the infection. The result was an operation on his left forearm which left him with a long scar from his thumb almost to his elbow. His ordeal did not end, however.
“They had to cut ( once more) a little on my wrist on Wednesday due to the presence of redness and swelling. The doctors were afraid that there would still be infection, so the wound is still open to make sure that the infection comes out completely,” she told the newspaper on Thursday.
The Restigouchoise is currently still at the Chaleur Regional Hospital, waiting for her situation to stabilize and for a place to become available in a bed at the Campbellton Regional Hospital. She should be discharged only when her treatments are finished, possibly in two weeks.
At the origin of this mishap, Ms. Roy believes that the virus entered her body following she tore off a piece of skin around one of her nails. A very banal gesture.
Group A Strep is a bacteria normally found on the skin or in the throat. This can cause a wide range of illnesses in people of all ages. In rare cases, however, the bacteria enters parts of the body where it is not usually found, such as the blood, joints, deep muscle or fatty tissue, or the lungs. An infection can then develop into a more serious illness called invasive group A streptococcal (flesh-eating bacteria) infection. This bacteria can then attack the soft tissues of the infected person, which can lead to amputations or even death.
Rising
Ms. Roy is not the only New Brunswicker to have encountered the flesh-eating bacteria. Public Health confirms that the Public Health Agency of Canada has advised of an increase in activity across Canada, including New Brunswick.
In fact, in the month of January alone, there were 30 confirmed cases of infections in the province, including six deaths. In 2023, 107 confirmed cases and 10 deaths have been reported in New Brunswick.
Proof that cases are on the rise, over the previous five years (2018 to 2022), we are talking regarding an average of 51 cases per year and six deaths for New Brunswick.
Still according to Public Health, the regional distribution of these cases is not unusual, which means that there is no reason to believe that one region is more affected or at risk than another.
But why a sudden increase? Experts believe this might be linked to the circulation of greater numbers of group A strep infections following a period of reduced incidence, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the increase in infections, the province recently created a Group A Strep website and updated its fact sheet so New Brunswickers have access to useful information.
Caution
The bacteria is spread from person to person through close contact with secretions from the nose or throat of an infected person, or through contact with sores or skin lesions.
Signs of infection include red, painful or swollen skin, fever that lasts more than three days, difficulty breathing, and rapid deterioration in health. No vaccine exists. However, this infection is treated with antibiotics.
How to reduce risks? The best solution is to adopt healthy hygiene practices, which also applies to other respiratory viruses such as influenza and COVID-19. You should wash your hands regularly, wear a well-fitted mask in crowded places, cough into your elbow, keep cuts and wounds clean and covered, and stay home when you are sick.
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