It is a group A beta-hemolytic strep, which causes common conditions such as angina pultacea and scarlet fever.

Alarms are sounding in Europe, especially in the UK, after the deaths of nine children were reported from a bacterial infection, which will spread to several schools in the country.

The UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) has reported that there has been an increase in cases of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus this year, especially in children under the age of 10, and has asked parents and mothers to be on high alert.

Is infection by this bacteria common? Should concerns spread beyond UK borders?

It is one of the first health questions to arise in the face of serious pathogenic disorders, leading to death, in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The first thing to know is the immunological condition of these children, because they may have several factors that lead to immunosuppression, which causes very common infections in pediatrics, which have very effective treatments and are not very serious. causes such a serious condition”, specialist in the hierarchy of pediatric infectious diseases, Gisela D’Ángelo, who is in charge of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of the “Sor María Ludovica” Children’s Hospital in La Plata, told the agency.

“This bacterium is called Streptococcus beta hemolyticus group A and causes a typical infection, pharyngeal tonsillitis or the famous angina with plaque, which is associated with pain and pus in the throat, 39 degree fever, putrefaction, which is treated with very basic, such as oral penicillin or its derivatives. like amoxicillin and, in turn, has a different set of presentation forms, due to its various poisons, which can cause something on the skin, scarlet fever, which is characterized by sore throat, tongue with white or W-shaped remnants, white in the center and red on the surrounding areas, ending with a strawberry or open tongue, and a rough to the touch rash that affects all the skin, affecting the periorificial space, that is, around the mouth and around the eyes, which makes them pale, ”indicates the specialist.

Regarding the possibility of complications and even death in cases of pediatric infection with these bacteria, D’Ángelo points out that “rare but exists” and differentiates rheumatic fever associated with angina and glomerulonephritis associated with scarlet fever.

“There is a severe form associated with group A beta hemolytic streptococci, mostly skin and soft tissue infections, giving an entity called necrotizing fasciitis which, even treated in time, leads to resolution,” he said.

Regarding the possibility of acute infection of the lower respiratory tract due to these bacteria, the specialist pointed out that it is “very rare” and, as in the case detected in the UK, “it is related to the immunological condition of the patient”.

Regarding the behavior of these bacteria, D’Ángelo stated that “no change has been reported” and that the situation reported by the UK Government “may be a group of patients and warrants further study”.

(DIB) ACR