According to SVT, The Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) believes that healthcare should increasingly test for and treat strep throat caused by Group A streptococci.
The proportion of severe infections has increased over the past year, but FHM cannot provide an exact explanation.
“We have had a period with many severe infections caused by so-called invasive Group A streptococci, which are very serious infections. It is unusual, but there has been a significantly higher incidence over the past year,” says Chief Epidemiologist Magnus Gisslén.
The exact cause of the high incidence of invasive Group A streptococci is difficult to determine. Gisslén suggests it may partly be due to a very low incidence of streptococci during the pandemic, resulting in reduced immunity in the population, which has now begun to circulate more.
In response to the high incidence of both Group A streptococci (GAS) and invasive Group A streptococci (iGAS) in Sweden during 2023-2024, the Public Health Agency is updating recommendations for managing strep throat in outpatient care.
The recommendation, made about two weeks ago in consultation with the Medical Products Agency, advises healthcare providers to test more frequently for GAS and prescribe penicillin for positive cases.
Typically Mild Symptoms
Most GAS infections are mild, manifesting as strep throat, impetigo, and scarlet fever, which usually resolve on their own. However, some individuals can develop serious infections such as sepsis, also known as blood poisoning, an invasive infection that can progress rapidly, require intensive care, and has a high mortality rate.
“In such cases, symptoms of blood poisoning appear quickly, or one might develop a deep soft tissue infection, called necrotizing fasciitis, affecting muscles and soft tissues in the body,” Gisslén explains.
In severe and invasive infections, it is often found that someone close by has another streptococcal infection, such as strep throat.
“We know that treating strep throat with penicillin reduces its contagiousness very quickly. Our hope is to reduce the spread of infection, thereby preventing more people from getting sick and reducing the number of severe invasive infections,” says Gisslén.
The new recommendations do not mean that every case of strep throat should be treated with antibiotics, as strep throat can be caused by both GAS and viruses. Viral infections should not be treated with antibiotics; only infections caused by GAS should be treated with penicillin.
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