Current Scenario of Recently Rising Up Cases of Invasive Group a Streptococcal (iGAS) Infections in Younger Children in Many European Nations

Abstract

The frequency of cases of invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) infections in children younger than 10 years of age has been rising in many European nations this year, especially since September 2022. These countries include France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK. In the same time frame, multiple fatalities in children under the age of 10 due to iGAS illness have been recorded from countries including France, Ireland, and the UK as reported by WHO1. For a same time span, the number of documented cases of iGAS in children in both France and the UK is much greater than it was before the epidemic1.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection rates dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic, but recent reports to WHO/Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) indicate an uptick in GAS infections. As coinfection of viruses with GAS may enhance the risk of iGAS illness, it is probable that the recent increase in the circulation of respiratory viruses is also related to the rise in instances of iGAS disease in children. This includes seasonal influenza and respiratory syncytial virus.