What You Need to Know About: Group A Streptococcal Disease
Q. What is Group A Strep?
A. "Strep" is short for Streptococcus -
a specific type of bacteria. Strep bacteria are divided into groups. Most strep
that can cause disease in people belong to Group A. The bacteria often are
found in the throat or on the skin, but they don't cause illness. Group A strep
(also known as GAS) can cause very different diseases like strep throat, rheumatic
fever, scarlet fever, impetigo, ear infections, and pneumonia. Special types
of Group A strep, known as types M-1 and M-3, can invade body tissues. This
is why the word "invasive" is used with the name of the infection.
Q. How is strep throat different from invasive Group A Strep?
A. If Group A strep bacteria infect the throat, the patient will have
strep throat: a severe sore throat with a fever and swollen glands. Doctors
will usually test to see if the patient has strep throat. There are two reasons
for doing this test. First, if strep are found, the doctor knows to treat the
patient with antibiotics and to keep the strep from spreading to other parts
of the body. Second, because strep throat is contagious, the patient can be
told to stay home from school, work, or other activities until the antibiotics
fight the infection. The Group A strep involved in strep throat are not usually
the invasive type.
The M-1 and M-3 types of Group A strep, on the other hand, have specific characteristics
that let them quickly infect and spread throughout the body. A massive infection
can lead to a dangerous, life-threatening condition.
Q. What are the symptoms of invasive Group A Strep infection?
A. There can be many different types of symptoms of this disease because the
bacteria can affect so many different parts of the body. Only a doctor can
tell whether the illness is Group A strep.
Invasive Group A strep infection can feel like the flu, but the symptoms get
worse instead of better after a couple of days. Invasive GAS can also begin
in a part of the body such as a hand or leg and spread to parts of the body
where bacteria are not normally found, like the blood, muscles, and lungs.
Two of the most severe kinds of invasive GAS disease are called necrotizing
fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. But they are also the forms
that people are least likely to get.
In necrotizing fasciitis, the GAS bacteria destroy muscle and fat. Because of
this, people sometimes call it "flesh-eating bacteria." Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is an infection that moves quickly, causing
shock and injury to internal organs such as the kidneys, liver, and lungs.
Q. How is GAS spread?
A. The bacteria are spread when infected people cough or sneeze. However,
people who look healthy and who carry the bacteria can also spread the disease.
But this type of infection is not as contagious. The bacteria can also be spread
by touching infected wounds or sores. Many people come in contact with GAS
bacteria, but few get sick at all (not even a sore throat). Even fewer people
will get invasive GAS disease.
Q. Is there any treatment?
A. Antibiotics are very effective in treating invasive GAS disease if
they are given to patients early. However, even antibiotics can't always prevent
illness or even death in some cases.
Q. What can I do to protect myself and my family?
A. The following steps will help prevent the spread of infection:
- Keep sores clean and covered.
- Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze and cough.
- Wash your hands often using hot water and soap.
- Don't share toothbrushes or eating utensils.
- Vaccinate children over 1 year of age against chickenpox (Some children
get invasive GAS infection right after they've had the chickenpox).
Consult a physician if
- You are an adult with a temperature of 101F or more or your child
has a temperature of 103F or more.
- You have a sore throat with fever.
- You feel like you have the flu but feel worse after 3 or 4 days.
- You have pain for no known reason or a sore that becomes red, swollen,
and painful.
- Your child has chickenpox and a fever that lasts more than 3 days.
- Three or 4 days after your child gets chickenpox, his or her temperature
goes up, or the child has difficulty breathing, loss of appetite, or sores
that look infected.
Q. Why are so many people getting Group A Strep?
A. About one-fourth of the population has GAS bacteria in their noses
and throats during winter months. No one knows why some people get sick and
others don't.
Most strep infections, including strep throat and invasive GAS, normally occur
during December, January, and February. More cases are seen in some years than
in others, however, invasive GAS infection is a very rare disease.
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