What is strep A?
Group A streptococcus, also called Streptococcus pyogenes, is a bacterium of the commensal flora (a set of microorganisms present in or on the body), usually found in the throat and on the skin. It can sometimes cause mild, non-invasive infections, such as angina, impetigo (skin infection) and scarlet fever (manifested by high fever, sore throat and rash). explains the Institut Pasteur.
What are the symptoms ?
The most common symptoms of a strep A infection are fever, sore throat, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, and skin rash. The general condition of the patient does not improve.
What happens during serious infections?
Serious invasive infections remain rare, but can, in some cases, prove fatal, with a mortality rate of around 10% for all pathologies combined, recalls the Institut Pasteur.
The patient may have different types of infections: necrotizing skin infections (characterized by the death of soft tissues), puerperal infections (infection of the genital tract), pleuropneumopathies (infection of the lung tissue) and meningitis (better known, they are characterized by a poorly tolerated high fever and/or rapidly appearing red or purplish spots). These infections may be associated with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), which has a “higher mortality (20-60%) despite aggressive treatment,” says the MSD Manual.
How is it transmitted and how to avoid it?
The bacteria are transmitted by respiratory droplets as well as by direct contact, nasal secretions or skin lesions. To prevent a potential future infection, it is recommended to apply barrier gestures, the same as those used against influenza viruses or Covid-19: wash your hands regularly, sneeze or cough into the bend of the elbow and still wear the mask for people with respiratory infections.