Strep A: As the infection spreads in the UK, have other countries been affected?

Infection rates of Strep A have been going up in the UK with several deaths of young children causing alarm amongst parents. Scarlet fever is one manifestation of the bacteria and South and West London have some of the highest rates of the illness, according to new data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), as per the Evening Standard.

Downing Street has recently told parents to be on the lookout for warning signs of strep A infection after a primary-school pupil has become the eighth child to die in the last few weeks.

Strep A around the world

Strep A bacteria can cause many different types of infection, from minor illnesses to serious and fatal diseases. However, the type we see a lot more of is the non-invasive Strep A infections such as scarlet fever, strep throat and the skin infection impetigo.

In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that several million cases of non-invasive group A strep illnesses occur each year and currently there doesn’t seem to be any significant increase in those numbers.

Globally, group A strep infections are quite common with the World Health Organization estimating, as per CDC:

• 111 million children in the developing world have impetigo
• 470,000 new cases of acute rheumatic fever occur each year
• 282,000 new cases of rheumatic heart disease occur each year

Read more: Strep throat outbreak: Here are the symptoms to look out for

France

France appears to be the only other country, so far, that is seeing an increase in infections with the French Health Directorate (DGS) saying on Tuesday that rising infections over the last 15 days across different regions had led to the hospitalisation of at least eight children, two of whom died. Three adult cases have also been reported, of which one died, as per Anadolu Agency.

Whilst there is no vaccine to prevent Strep A infections, antibiotics are generally very effective at treating them so people are being urged to be on the lookout for symptoms in order to diagnose the illness early. The NHS recommends:

Contact your GP if your child:

• is getting worse
• is feeding or eating much less than normal
• has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehydration
• is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C
• is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39°C or higher
• feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty
• is very tired or irritable

If your GP is closed, phone the 111 service.

Read more: Strep A: The real reason for the outbreak has been revealed

Scarlet fever cases in London

Here is a list of scarlet fever cases by borough in the week up to December 4, as per the Evening Standard:

Bromley - 13 infections

Bexley - 12 infections

Ealing - 12 infections

Hammersmith and Fulham - 12 infections

Lambeth - 11 infections

Lewisham - 11 infections

Croydon - 10 infections

Hounslow - 9 infections

Richmond upon Thames - 9 infections

Wandsworth - 8 infections

Sutton - 8 infections

Southwark - 7 infections

Greenwich - 6 infections

Kingston upon Thames - 5 infections

Hillingdon - 5 infections

Harrow - 5 infections

Brent - 4 infections

Kensington and Chelsea - 2 infections

Camden - 1 infection

Barnet - 1 infection

Westminster - 1 infection

Waltham Forest - 0 infections

Redbridge - 0 infections

Havering - 0 infections

Enfield - 0 infections

Barking and Dagenham - 0 infections

Tower Hamlets - 0 infections

Newham - 0 infections

Haringey - 0 infections

Islington - 0 infections

Hackney - 0 infections

City of London - 0 infections

Sources used:

- Evening Standard 'Strep A: London’s scarlet fever hotspots revealed as parents urged to stay vigilant for symptoms'

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 'Group A Streptococcal (GAS) Disease'

- NHS Inform 'Streptococcus A (strep A)'

- Anadolu Agency 'French health directorate warns of increase in Strep A bacterial infection'