Streptococcus pyogenes infections in Spanish children before and after the COVID pandemic. Coming back to the previous incidence

Abstract

Introduction: Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes mild diseases, and unfrequently invasive infections (iGAS). Following the December 2022 alert from the United Kingdom regarding the unusual increase in GAS and iGAS infections, we analyzed the incidence of GAS infections in 2018-2022 in our hospital.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients seen in a pediatric emergency department (ED) diagnosed with streptococcal pharyngitis and scarlet fever and patients admitted for iGAS during last 5 years.

Results: The incidence of GAS infections was 6.43 and 12.38/1000 ED visits in 2018 and 2019, respectively. During the COVID-19 pandemic the figures were 5.33 and 2.14/1000 ED visits in 2020 and 2021, respectively, and increased to 10.2/1000 ED visits in 2022. The differences observed were not statistically significant (p=0.352).

Conclusions: In our series, as in other countries, GAS infections decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and mild and severe cases increased considerably in 2022, but did not reach similar levels to those detected in other countries.

Keywords: Children; Escarlatina; Estreptococo del grupo A (GAS); Faringitis estreptocócica; GAS invasive infection (iGAS); Group A Streptococcus (GAS); Infección invasiva por GAS; Niños; Scarlet fever; Streptococcal pharyngitis; Streptococcus pyogenes.