CLEVELAND — Both the CDC and WHO have issued warnings bringing attention to an increase in cases of invasive group A streptococcal infections (iGAS) in kids, seen in Europe as well as in Colorado.
In a published post from Dec. 22, the CDC reported that in November, the agency was notified of a "possible increase in iGAS infections among children at a hospital in Colorado," while also stating the "overall number of cases has remained relatively low and iGAS infections remain rare in children."
NBC News reports two children in Colorado have died, and the CDC says they are investigating the cases.
In a December statement, the WHO reported European countries including France, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom "indicated an increase in 2022, particularly since September," in iGAS cases in children under 10, as well as "several deaths associated with iGAS disease in children under 10."
People are likely more familiar with strep throat, an infection caused by bacteria that causes discomfort and even pain in the throat. According to Dr. Amy Edwards, pediatric infectious disease specialist at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, the bacteria involved in invasive group A strep is the same bacteria seen in strep throat.
"That bacteria is capable of causing a lot of different kinds of illness," Edwards told 3News. "So, strep throat is the one that we know, or most people in the public know, but we deal with lots of different strep infections. Strep can get into your joints, it can get into your bones, your muscles."
Edwards says that invasive strep infection is when strep has invaded past the upper respiratory tract.
"Strep throat is where it's supposed to be," she explained, adding that strep can also cause skin infection. "If it's on the skin or on the throat, that's where it's supposed to be, that's normal strep. Invasive strep infection is just like it sounds: When it invades inside the body where it's not supposed to be."
"It's a strep infection that doesn't behave like the regular strep infection, with just sore throat and fever and sometimes skin manifestations," Dr. Shelly Senders, president and CEO of Senders Pediatrics in South Euclid, said.
While iGAS can be more serious, Senders says these invasive cases of strep are "very, very unlikely."
"None of us around here, as far as I know, have seen any of those cases," he noted. "People should not worry that just because their child has a sore throat that they're going to have this invasive type of infection."
Edwards also emphasized families have no reason to panic, and that nothing has changed about strep this year. We're just seeing more of it.
"There really isn't anything to panic about, because this isn't going to be a massive widespread strep outbreak," she said. "It's just something we want people to be aware of so that we can catch those kids who are getting it, because there is good treatment."
Both doctors suggested keeping an eye out for signs and symptoms of strep, including fever, swollen glands, puss on tonsils, headache, sore throat, and belly pain.