The incidence of invasive group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections increased significantly from 3.6 cases per 100,000 people in 2013 to 8.2 cases in 2022, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis published in JAMA. Researchers studied data from 10 states including 35 million people and recommended that new efforts should be designed to prevent and control GAS infections, especially among groups at highest risk, which includes individuals 65 years or older, residents of long-term care facilities, those experiencing homelessness, and those with documented injection drug use. Authors identified 21,312 cases of invasive GAS from 2013 to 2022, associated with 20,247 hospitalizations and 1,981 deaths. The recent increase in invasive GAS incidence comes hard on the heels of significant decreases recorded during the pandemic years. While GAS causes common noninvasive cases of strep throat and impetigo, it can also cause serious invasive infections such as sepsis, necrotizing fasciitis, and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.
On your toes: In a related editorial, experts suggest that the discovered increase in invasive GAS incidence would likely be higher if all 50 states were studied. They note: “Invasive GAS can be insidious and unpredictable, testing the lifesaving capacity of even the world’s most advanced medical facilities.”