Invasive strep infections have more than doubled in the U.S., CDC study finds
Severe, possibly life-threatening strep infections are rising in the United States.
Severe, possibly life-threatening strep infections are rising in the United States.
The number of invasive group A strep infections more than doubled from 2013 to 2022, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Prior to that, rates of invasive strep had been stable for 17 years.
Invasive group A strep occurs when bacteria spread to areas of the body that are normally germ-free, such as the lungs or bloodstream. The same type of bacteria, group A streptococcus, is responsible for strep throat — a far milder infection.
Invasive strep can trigger necrotizing fasciitis, a soft tissue infection also known as flesh-eating disease, or streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, an immune reaction akin to sepsis that can lead to organ failure.
“Within 24 to 48 hours, you could have very, very rapid deterioration,” said Dr. Victor Nizet, a professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego. Cases can transition from “seeming like a routine flu-like illness to rushing the patient to the ICU, fearing for their recovery,” he added.
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