Frequently asked questions about group A streptococcal meningitis
Why did many countries experience high rates of iGAS disease after the COVID-19 pandemic?
Higher than usual numbers of hospital admissions and deaths from invasive group A streptococcal disease were reported in several countries in Europe and some parts of the United States following the COVID-19 pandemic. The additional admissions mostly affected children under 10 years of age.
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It’s possible that during the pandemic, children were at home and not exposed to many respiratory viruses and as much GAS bacteria. Their immune systems then may not have been as good at fighting these infections when they started circulating again after COVID restrictions were lifted.
Co-infection with other viruses such as the one that causes chickenpox can also make people more susceptible to infection with GAS bacteria. This may have made the situation worse.
The spread of a new virulent strain of group A strep, called M1UK, may also have contributed to the high rates of iGAS after the COVID-19 pandemic. This potential connection is currently being studied.
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Am I at risk if I have been in contact with someone who has had an invasive GAS infection?
Contracting iGAS disease from a household member or close contact is very rare.
If you experience any symptoms of infection within 30 days of close contact with someone with GAS infection then contact your doctor. Symptoms might include sore throat, skin infection or fever. You may need antibiotics.
It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms of iGAS, which include:
- High fever.
- Severe muscle aches.
- Localised muscle tenderness.
- Increasing pain, swelling and redness at site of wound.
- Unexplained diarrhoea or vomiting.
If you develop any of these symptoms, you should seek medical advice immediately. Tell the doctor that you’ve been in contact with someone recently diagnosed with iGAS disease, and that you have developed some symptoms that you’re worried about.
In the UK, cases of invasive GAS infection should be reported to a Public Health Doctor who will decide what needs to be done to protect the community. In most cases, close contacts of the person who had the illness won’t need to take preventative antibiotics. Doctors may prescribe antibiotics for close contacts if they’re pregnant (at least 37 weeks), elderly (75 years or older), have chickenpox, or are a newborn baby (under one month).
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What is the survival rate for group A streptococcal meningitis?
Estimates of the survival rate for group A streptococcal meningitis in adults vary. It was thought that there’s a only a low chance of death, between 5-10%, due to GAS meningitis.
14,15 But a Danish study found that, although the incidence of meningitis caused by GAS is rare, there’s a much higher chance of (27%) chance of death due to the disease.
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It’s agreed that GAS meningitis in children is severe and sudden, with the chance of death estimated as high as 43%.
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Can other types of strep infection cause meningitis?
Yes, other types of
Streptococcus bacteria can cause meningitis. The two most significant types of
Streptococcus bacteria that can cause meningitis are:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae (commonly known as pneumococcal bacteria). This is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in some countries.
- Streptococcus agalactiae (often referred to as Group B strep or GBS). This is a common cause of meningitis in newborns and young infants worldwide.
Other types of
Streptococcus bacteria rarely cause meningitis in adults or children.