Pediatr. praxi. 2023;24(5):336-342 | DOI: 10.36290/ped.2023.084

Unusual increase of invasive pyogenic streptococci in children

prof. MUDr. Vladimír Mihál, CSc.^{1, 2}, Mgr. Pavla Kučová, Ph.D.³, MUC. Veronika Vašířová², MUC. Marek Teleky², MUDr. Kamila Michálková⁴

¹ Ústav molekulární a translační medicíny, LF UP Olomouc

² Dětská klinika, LF UP a FN v Olomouci

³ Mikrobiologický ústav, LF UP a FN v Olomouci

⁴ Radiologická klinika, LF UP a FN v Olomouci

Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus, GAS) causes a wide range of diseases in children, especially pharyngitis and scarlet fever. Less commonly, it can cause serious invasive infections, including necrotizing fasciitis, pneumonia, sepsis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. GAS infection requiring hospitalization is still associated with significant serious illness and short- and long-term morbidity in younger children. Early recognition of the disease and prompt antibiotic treatment is the most natural prevention of serious GAS complications today. In children under 10 years of age, the rate of infection with invasive GAS (iGAS) is higher than in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, but significantly higher than in the last two years. In the last year, based on reports of an increase in lower respiratory tract infections in children, particularly empyema, systematic data collection of individual cases is underway to better understand iGAS. We present two preschool children with scarlet fever complicated by pleuropneumonia and respiratory failure.

Keywords: Streptococcus pyogenes, child, invasive streptococcal infections, iGAS, pleuropneumonia, respiratory failure.

Accepted: October 9, 2023; Published: October 13, 2023  Show citation