Rapid expansion and international spread of M1UK in the post-pandemic UK upsurge of Streptococcus pyogenes.

The UK observed a marked increase in scarlet fever and invasive group A streptococcal infection in 2022 with severe outcomes in children and similar trends worldwide. Here we report lineage M1UK to be the dominant source of invasive infections in this upsurge. Compared with ancestral M1global strains, invasive M1UK strains exhibit reduced genomic diversity and fewer mutations in two-component regulator genes covRS. The emergence of M1UK is dated to 2008. Following a bottleneck coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, three emergent M1UK clades underwent rapid nationwide expansion, despite lack of detection in previous years. All M1UK isolates thus-far sequenced globally have a phylogenetic origin in the UK, with dispersal of the new clades in Europe. While waning immunity may promote streptococcal epidemics, the genetic features of M1UK point to a fitness advantage in pathogenicity, and a striking ability to persist through population bottlenecks.

Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) Caused by Group A Streptococcus: Novel Insights Within the Context of a Familiar Clinical Syndrome.

The emergence of invasive infections attributed to group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections, has resurged since the 1980s. The recent surge in reports of toxic shock syndrome due to GAS in Japan in 2024, while sensationalized in the media, does not represent a novel infectious disease per se, as its diagnosis, treatment, and prevention are already well-established. However, due to signs of increasing incidence since 2011, further research is needed. Health authorities in neighboring countries like The Republic of Korea should not only issue travel advisories but also establish meticulous surveillance systems and initiate epidemiological studies on the genotypic variations of this disease while awaiting various epidemiological research findings from Japan.

Machine Learning for Clinical Decision Support of Acute Streptococcal Pharyngitis: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is the predominant bacterial pathogen of pharyngitis in children. However, distinguishing GAS from viral pharyngitis is sometimes difficult. Unnecessary antibiotic use contributes to unwanted side effects, such as allergic reactions and diarrhea. It also may increase antibiotic resistance. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of a machine learning algorithm on the clinical evaluation of bacterial pharyngitis in children. METHODS: We assessed 54 children aged 2-17 years who presented to a primary healthcare clinic with a sore throat and fever over 38°C from 1 November 2021 to 30 April 2022. All children were tested with a streptococcal rapid antigen detection test (RADT). If negative, a throat culture was performed. Children with a positive RADT or throat culture were considered GAS-positive and treated antibiotically for 10 days, as per guidelines. Children with negative RADT tests throat cultures were considered positive for viral pharyngitis. The children were allocated into two groups: Group A streptococcal pharyngitis (GAS-P) (n=36) and viral pharyngitis (n=18). All patients underwent a McIsaac score evaluation. A linear support vector machine algorithm was used for classification. RESULTS: The machine learning algorithm resulted in a positive predictive value of 80.6 % (27 of 36) for GAS-P infection. The false discovery rates for GAS-P infection were 19.4 % (7 of 36). CONCLUSIONS: Applying the machine-learning strategy resulted in a high positive predictive value for the detection of streptococcal pharyngitis and can contribute as a medical decision aid in the diagnosis and treatment of GAS-P.

Using 16s rRNA sequencing to characterize the microbiome of tropical cutaneous ulcer disease: insights into the microbial landscape and implications for diagnosis and treatment.

Cutaneous ulcers are common in yaws-endemic areas. Although often attributed to 'Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue' and Haemophilus ducreyi, quantitative PCR has highlighted a significant proportion of these ulcers are negative for both pathogens and are considered idiopathic. This is a retrospective analysis utilising existing 16S rRNA sequencing data from two independent yaws studies that took place in Ghana and the Solomon Islands. We characterized bacterial diversity in 38 samples to identify potential causative agents for idiopathic cutaneous ulcers. We identified a diverse bacterial profile, including Arcanobacterium haemolyticum, Campylobacter concisus, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus pyogenes, consistent with findings from previous cutaneous ulcer microbiome studies. No single bacterial species was universally present across all samples. The most prevalent bacterium, Campylobacter ureolyticus, appeared in 42% of samples, suggesting a multifactorial aetiology for cutaneous ulcers in yaws-endemic areas. This study emphasizes the need for a nuanced understanding of potential causative agents. The findings prompt further exploration into the intricate microbial interactions contributing to idiopathic yaw-like ulcers, guiding future research toward comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Group A Streptococcus pyogenes in wastewater: Applicability of wastewater-based epidemiology for monitoring the prevalence of GAS pharyngitis during the late COVID-19 pandemic phase.

Streptococcus pyogenes, Group A Streptococcus (GAS), is a human pathogen that causes a spectrum of diseases from mild to severe, including GAS pharyngitis, a common acute respiratory disease in developed countries. Although wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been extensively used to monitor viral pathogens such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, its applicability to S. pyogenes remains unexplored. This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of detecting and quantifying S. pyogenes in wastewater by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and evaluate the applicability of WBE for monitoring the prevalence of GAS pharyngitis. A total of 52 grab influent samples were collected from a wastewater treatment plant in Japan once a week between March 2023 and February 2024. The samples were centrifuged, followed by nucleic acid extraction and qPCR for the S. pyogenes-specific genes speB and spy1258. Of the 52 samples, 90 % and 81 % were positive for speB and spy1258 genes, respectively, indicating the feasibility of S. pyogenes for wastewater surveillance. However, the percentage of quantifiable samples for speB gene was significantly higher in winter than in spring and summer. Similarly, the concentrations of both genes in wastewater samples were significantly higher in winter (speB, 4.1 ± 0.27 log10 copies/L; spy1258, 4.1 ± 0.28 log10 copies/L; One-way ANOVA, p < 0.01) than in spring and summer. Higher concentrations and detection ratios of S. pyogenes genes were observed during increased GAS pharyngitis cases in the catchment. Significant moderate correlations were observed between target gene concentrations and reported GAS pharyngitis cases. This study enhances the understanding role of WBE in monitoring and managing infectious diseases within communities.

Streptococcal Pharyngitis: Rapid Evidence Review.

Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis is a common infection responsible for more than 6 million office visits in the United States annually. Only 10% of adults seeking care for a sore throat have group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis; however, 60% or more are prescribed antibiotics. Guidelines recommend using clinical decision rules to assess the risk of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection, followed by rapid antigen testing if a diagnosis is unclear, before prescribing antibiotics. Fever, tonsillar exudate, cervical lymphadenitis, and patient ages of 3 to 15 years increase clinical suspicion. A cough is more suggestive of a viral etiology. The limited history used in these decision rules is amenable to virtual visits. After a negative rapid antigen test result, a throat culture is recommended in children and adolescents. Penicillin and amoxicillin are first-line antibiotics, with a recommended course of 10 days; first-generation cephalosporins are recommended for patients with nonanaphylactic allergies to penicillin. There is significant resistance to azithromycin and clarithromycin in some parts of the United States. Steroids are not recommended for symptomatic treatment. Patients with worsening symptoms after appropriate antibiotic initiation or with symptoms lasting 5 days after the start of treatment should be reevaluated. Tonsillectomy is rarely recommended as a preventive measure: seven episodes of streptococcal pharyngitis in 1 year, five episodes in each of the past 2 years, or three episodes in each of the past 3 years are commonly used thresholds for considering surgery.

Overlapping Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis household transmission and mobile genetic element exchange.

Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDSE) and Streptococcus pyogenes share skin and throat niches with extensive genomic homology and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) possibly underlying shared disease phenotypes. It is unknown if cross-species transmission interaction occurs. Here, we conduct a genomic analysis of a longitudinal household survey in remote Australian First Nations communities for patterns of cross-species transmission interaction and HGT. Collected from 4547 person-consultations, we analyse 294 SDSE and 315 S. pyogenes genomes. We find SDSE and S. pyogenes transmission intersects extensively among households and show that patterns of co-occurrence and transmission links are consistent with independent transmission without inter-species interference. We identify at least one of three near-identical cross-species mobile genetic elements (MGEs) carrying antimicrobial resistance or streptodornase virulence genes in 55 (19%) SDSE and 23 (7%) S. pyogenes isolates. These findings demonstrate co-circulation of both pathogens and HGT in communities with a high burden of streptococcal disease, supporting a need to integrate SDSE and S. pyogenes surveillance and control efforts.

Outbreak of Streptococcus pyogenes emm89 ST646 in a head and neck surgical oncology ward.

Streptococcus pyogenes causes a variety of human infections, and hospital outbreaks with this pathogen have also been reported. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical characteristics of an outbreak of S. pyogenes involving 15 patients and four healthcare workers (HCWs), as well as the molecular characteristics of the causative isolates. The course and response to the outbreak were reviewed, and information on the characteristics of the patients was extracted retrospectively from the medical records. Whole-genome sequencing of the 16 causative isolates (14 from patients and two from HCWs) was also performed. All 15 patients were postoperative of head and neck cancer with tracheotomy, and 12 had invasive infections, primarily surgical site infections, all of which resolved without causing serious illness. All but the first case was detected more than 7 days after admission. S. pyogenes was detected in two patients after empiric antimicrobial administration was performed on all inpatients and HCWs, and the outbreak was finally contained in approximately 2 months. All isolates detected in patients and HCWs belonged to emm89/clade 3, a hypervirulent clone that has emerged worldwide and was classified as sequence type 646. These isolates had single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) differences of zero to one, indicating clonal transmission. This study demonstrated an outbreak of S. pyogenes emm89/clade 3 in a ward of patients with head and neck cancer. The global emergence of hypervirulent isolates may increase the risk of outbreaks among high-risk patients. IMPORTANCE: This study describes an outbreak of Streptococcus pyogenes that occurred in a ward caring for patients with head and neck cancer and tracheostomies. Many cases of invasive infections occurred in a short period, and extensive empiric antimicrobial administration on patients and healthcare workers was performed to control the outbreak. Whole-genome sequencing analysis of the causative strains confirmed that it was a monoclonal transmission of strains belonging to emm89/clade 3. The epidemiology and clinical characteristics of S. pyogenes infections have changed with the replacement of the prevalent clones worldwide. In the 1980s, there was a reemergence of S. pyogenes infections in high-income countries due to the spread of hypervirulent emm1 strains. emm89/clade 3 has recently been spreading worldwide and shares common features with emm1, including increased production of two toxins, NADase, and streptolysin O. The outbreak reported here may reflect the high spreading potential and virulence of emm89/clade 3.

Outbreak of invasive Group A streptococcus disease in a nursing home in Ireland in February 2023 caused by emm type 18.

An out-of-season increase in cases of invasive Group A streptococcus (iGAS) was observed in Ireland between October 2022 and August 2023. We describe the management of an iGAS outbreak involving three nursing home residents in Ireland in early 2023. A regional Department of Public Health was notified of an iGAS case in a nursing home resident in January 2023. When two further cases among residents were notified 7 days later, an outbreak was declared. Surveillance for GAS/iGAS infection in residents and staff was undertaken. The site was visited to provide infection prevention and control (IPC) support. Isolates were emm typed. A total of 38 residents and 29 staff in contact with resident cases were provided with antibiotic chemoprophylaxis. Seven additional staff with no direct resident contact also received chemoprophylaxis after finding one probable localised GAS infection among them. No more iGAS cases subsequently occurred.Site visit recommendations included advice on terminal cleaning and cleaning of shared equipment, as well as strengthening staff education on hand hygiene and masking. All isolates were of emm subtype 18.12, a subtype not previously detected in Ireland. Key outbreak control measures were rapid delivery of IPC support and chemoprophylaxis. Emm18 is infrequently associated with GAS infections.

Use of saliva-based qPCR diagnostics for the accurate, rapid, and inexpensive detection of strep throat.

OBJECTIVES: Outpatient health care facilities are essential for quickly diagnosing common infectious diseases such as bacterial and viral pharyngitis. The only form of pharyngitis requiring antibiotics is strep throat (ST); however, antibiotic prescription rates are much higher than ST prevalence, suggesting antibiotics are being inappropriately prescribed. Current rapid ST diagnostics may be contributing to this problem due to the low sensitivity and variable specificity of these tests. It is best practice to verify a negative ST diagnosis with a group A Streptococcus (GAS) culture, but many clinics do not perform this test due to the additional cost and 24-72 h required to obtain results. This indicates there is great need for more accurate rapid diagnostic tools in outpatient facilities. We hypothesized that next generation qPCR technology could be adapted to detect GAS DNA from saliva samples (instead of the traditional throat swab) by creating a simple, fast, and inexpensive protocol. METHODS: Saliva specimens collected from patients at James Madison University Health Center were used to test the effectiveness of our Chelex 100-based rapid DNA extraction method, followed by a fast protocol developed for the Open qPCR machine to accurately detect ST. RESULTS: Our final saliva processing and qPCR protocol required no specialized training to perform and was able to detect ST with 100 % sensitivity and 100 % specificity (n=102) in 22-26 min, costing only $1.12 per sample. CONCLUSIONS: Saliva can be rapidly analyzed via qPCR for the accurate and inexpensive detection of ST.

Epidemiología de la faringitis estreptocócica. Período enero de 2018 - diciembre de 2021 / Epidemiology of streptococcal pharyngitis. January 2018 - December 21

La faringoamigdalitis es uno de los motivos más frecuentes de consulta en pediatría. Aproximadamente un 70-80% de las faringoamigdalitis son de etiología viral. El 20-30% restante son de origen bacteriano. El agente causal más frecuente es Streptococcus pyogenes (estreptococo ß-hemolítico del grupo A). El rol de Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis, (estreptococos ß-hemolíticos grupos C y G) fue claramente establecido como agente etiológico en la faringitis bacteriana, tanto en niños como en adultos. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo y retrospectivo entre enero 2018 y diciembre de 2021. Se evaluó la prevalencia de faringitis estreptocócica, la edad, el período estacional, los agentes etiológicos y la resistencia a macrólidos durante los períodos pre-COVID-19 (2018-2019) y COVID-19 (2020-2021). Se analizaron 11 396 muestras de exudados de fauces de pacientes con sospecha de faringitis bacteriana; las mismas se procesaron mediante el uso de técnicas microbiológicas convencionales. En el período estudiado el porcentaje de positividad de los cultivos de exudados de fauces se mantuvo constante. Al comparar los períodos pre-COVID-19 (2018-2019) y COVID-19 (2020-2021) se observó una disminución en el número de aislados de S. pyogenes con un aumento de S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis, mientras que la resistencia a macrólidos encontrada fue superior en S. pyogenes y para S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis se mantuvo constante. Es importante realizar el cultivo para la identificación del agente etiológico y determinar la sensibilidad antibióticapara continuar con la vigilancia epidemiológica de la resistencia a los macrólidos, porque representan una opción en pacientes alérgicos a ß-lactámicos (AU)

Pharyngotonsillitis is one of the most frequent reasons for consultation in children. Approximately 70-80% of pharyngotonsillitis are of viral etiology. The remaining 20-30% are bacterial in origin. The most frequent causative agent is Streptococcus pyogenes (group A ß-hemolytic streptococcus). Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (ß-hemolytic streptococcus groups C and G) was clearly established as an etiologic agent in bacterial pharyngitis in both children and adults. A descriptive and retrospective analysis was conducted between January 2018 and December 2021. The prevalence of streptococcal pharyngitis, age, seasonal period, etiologic agents, and macrolide resistance during the pre-COVID-19 (2018-2019) and COVID-19 (2020-2021) periods were evaluated. We analyzed 11 396 specimens of swabs from patients with suspected bacterial pharyngitis. Conventional microbiological techniques were used. In the study period, the percentage of positivity of swab cultures remained constant. When comparing the preCOVID-19 (2018-2019) and COVID-19 (2020-2021) periods, a decrease in the number of S. pyogenes isolates was observed with an increase in S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis, while the resistance to macrolides found was higher for S. pyogenes and remained constant for S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis. The identification of the etiologic agent and determination of antibiotic sensitivity are important for epidemiological surveillance of macrolide resistance, as they are a treatment option in patients who are allergic to ß-lactams (AU)

Detección rápida de antígenos de Streptococcus pyogenes en pacientes de 0 a 14 años asistidos en dos servicios de urgencia pediátrica (14/2/2018-13/4/2018) / Rapid detection of Streptococcus pyogenes' antigens in patients of 0 to 14 years of age, assisted in two pediatric emergency wards (2/14/2018-4/13/2018) / Detecção rápida de antígenos de Streptococcus pyogenes em pacientes de 0 a 14 anos de idade assistidos por emergência pediátrica (14/2/2018-13/4/2018)

Introducción: las infecciones estreptocócicas pueden presentarse con fiebre, inflamación faringoamigdalina con o sin exudados, petequias en el paladar, adenitis cervical, exantema escarlatiniforme y / o dolor abdominal. Resulta útil en área de urgencia disponer de pruebas de detección rápida de antígenos de S. pyogenes (DRASP) de alta especificidad y sensibilidad algo menor. Objetivos: conocer la utilidad de un test de DRASP en 2 servicios de Urgencia Pediátrica, describiendo las características clínicas y epidemiológicas de los pacientes estudiados durante el período de la investigación y su correlación con el cultivo de exudado faríngeo mediante el cálculo de sensibilidad (S), especificidad (E), valor predictivo positivo (VPP) y valor predictivo negativo (VPN). Material y métodos: estudio prospectivo, observacional, transversal en dos servicios de emergencia pediátrica. Se incluyeron niños a los que se les realizó DRASP y exudado faríngeo (EF) entre el 14 de febrero y el 13 de abril de 2018. Se registró: sexo, edad, motivo de consulta, diagnóstico, tratamiento, destino, resultado del test y de cultivo faríngeo. Se calcularon S, E, VPP y VPN. Resultados: n=241 niños. Rango 8 meses - 14 años, media 6 años. Consultaron por fiebre 103 niños (42,7%); por odinofagia 48, por erupción 11 y 47 por otros síntomas. Al 95% de los niños se le otorgó el alta. DRASP negativos 87,6% (N: 211) y positivos 12,9% (N: 31). EF negativos 80,1% (n: 193) y positivos para SßHGA en 13,7% (n: 33). La sensibilidad de la prueba fue del 52% y su especificidad del 93%. El VPP 55% y el negativo 92%. El diagnóstico más frecuente fue faringitis viral 132 (54,7%). Conclusiones: el test se aplicó fundamentalmente a escolares febriles, algunos con odinofagia. Contribuye a diferenciar en forma rápida la etiología y habilita a no usar antibióticos en caso de resultado negativo. Estos resultados avalan el uso de DRASP en la urgencia pediátrica.

Introduction: streptococcal infections can show fever, pharyngotonsillar inflammation with or without swabs, palatal petechiae, cervical adenitis, scarlatiniform rash and/or abdominal pain. Rapid detection tests for S. pyogenes antigens (DRASP) with high specificity and somewhat lower sensitivity are a useful at the Emergency Ward. Objectives: know the usefulness of a DRASP test in 2 Pediatric Emergency, describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the patients studied during the research period and its correlation with the culture of pharyngeal exudates by calculating sensitivity (S) , specificity (S), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). Material and Methods: prospective, observational, cross-sectional study carried out in two pediatric emergency wards. We included children who underwent DRASP and pharyngeal swab (PS) between February 14 and April 13, 2018. The following data were recorded: sex, age, reason for consultation, diagnosis, treatment, destination, test results and throat cultures. S, S, PPV and NPV were calculated. Results: n=241 children. Range 8 months - 14 years, average 6 years. 103 children (42.7%) consulted due to fever; 48 due to sore throat, 11 due to rash and 47 due to other symptoms. 95% of children were discharged. DRASP negative 87.6% (N: 211) and positive 12.9% (N: 31). Negative EP 80.1% (n: 193) and positive for SßHGA in 13.7% (n: 33). The test sensitivity was 52% and specificity 93%. The PPV 55% and the negative 92%. The most frequent diagnosis was viral pharyngitis 132 (54.7%). Conclusions: the test was applied mainly to febrile schoolchildren, some with odynophagia. A quick etiology differentiation is helpful, since it prevents antibiotics from being used in the event of a negative result. These results support the use of DRASP in pediatric emergency wards.

Introdução: as infecções estreptocócicas manifestam-se com febre, inflamação faringotonsilar com ou sem exsudado, petéquias palatinas, adenite cervical, erupção cutânea escarlatiniforme e/ou dor abdominal. Nos serviços de emergência é útil realizar testes de detecção rápida para antígenos de S. pyogenes (DRASP) com alta especificidade e sensibilidade um pouco mais baixa Objetivos: conhecer a utilidade do teste DRASP em 2 Emergências Pediátricas, descrever as características clínicas e epidemiológicas dos pacientes estudados durante o período da pesquisa e sua correlação com a cultura de exsudatos faríngeos por meio do cálculo de sensibilidade (S) , especificidade (S), positivo valor preditivo (VPP) e valor preditivo negativo (VPN). Material e métodos: estudo prospectivo, observacional, transversal, realizado em duas unidades de emergência pediátrica. Foram incluídas crianças que realizaram DRASP e swab faríngeo (PS) entre 14 de fevereiro e 13 de abril de 2018. Foram registrados os seguintes dados: sexo, idade, motivo da consulta, diagnóstico, tratamento, destino, resultados de exames e culturas de garganta. S, S, VPP e VPN foram calculados. Resultados: n=241 crianças. Faixa 8 meses - 14 anos, média 6 anos. 103 crianças (42,7%) consultadas por febre; 48 por dor de garganta, 11 por erupção cutânea e 47 por outros sintomas. 95% das crianças receberam alta. DRASP negativo 87,6% (N: 211) e positivo 12,9% (N: 31). EP negativo 80,1% (n: 193) e positivo para SßHGA em 13,7% (n: 33). A sensibilidade do teste foi de 52% e a especificidade de 93%. O PPV 55% e o negativo 92%. O diagnóstico mais frequente foi faringite viral 132 (54,7%). Conclusões: o teste foi aplicado principalmente em escolares febris, alguns com odinofagia. A rápida diferenciação etiológica é útil, pois evita o uso de antibióticos em caso de resultado negativo. Esses resultados apoiam o uso do DRASP em enfermarias de emergência pediátrica.

Fatal Pediatric Streptococcal Infection: A Clinico-Pathological Study.

PURPOSE AND CONTEXT: Streptococcal Infection (SI) is an important cause of pediatric death in children, yet limited reports exist on autopsy findings in fatal SI cases. METHOD: Case records (1997-2019) of SI with no pre-existing risk factors were reviewed and selected. Their clinical and pathological findings in the autopsy reports were analyzed. RESULTS: In our cohort of 38 cases based on bacterial culture results, SI was most commonly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (SPn; 45%) and Streptococcus pyogenes (SPy; 37%). 92% of decedents had some prodromal symptoms prior to terminal presentation. The clinical course was often rapid, with 89% found unresponsive, suddenly collapsing, or dying within 24 hours of hospital admission. 64% of deaths were attributed to sepsis, more frequently diagnosed in the SPy group than in the SPn group (71% vs 48%). Pneumonia was found in both SPn and SPy groups, whereas meningitis was exclusively associated with SPn. CONCLUSION: Our study shows fatal SI is most commonly caused by either SPn or SPy, both of which are frequently associated with prodromal symptoms, rapid terminal clinical course, and evidence of sepsis. Postmortem diagnosis of sepsis is challenging and should be correlated with clinical features, bacterial culture results, and autopsy findings.

Pediatric deep neck infections: Clinical description and analysis of therapeutic management.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to describe clinical presentations, bacteriological results, and therapeutic management in a pediatric population presenting with acute pharyngeal suppuration. A further aim was to identify clinical, bacteriological, and radiological predictors of success associated with exclusive medical treatment. METHOD: A retrospective study was carried out including patients under 18 years of age hospitalized between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2017 in our center for acute pharyngeal suppuration. We identified three groups of patients: group A, treated with exclusive intravenous antibiotics; group B, surgically treated after 48 h of appropriate antibiotic therapy, due to persistent fever and/or clinical worsening and/or persistence of a collection on follow-up imaging; group C, surgically treated as first-line therapy in association with intravenous antibiotics. A total of 83 patients were included: 36 in group A, 12 in group B, and 35 in group C. These three groups were compared for several variables: age of the patients, polynuclear neutrophil counts, diameter of the collections (the largest diameter found on imaging), duration of antibiotic therapy, delay before return to apyrexia, and hospitalization duration. RESULTS: A neck mass and torticollis were present, respectively, in 48.8 and 47.6% of cases. No breathing difficulties were reported. Streptococcus pyogenes was the most frequently identified microorganism. The average diameter of the collections from patients treated surgically as first-line therapy (group C) was significantly larger than that of the patients treated with antibiotics (group A) (27.89 mm vs. 18.73 mm, respectively, p = 0.0006). All the patients who required surgery despite 48 h of appropriate antibiotic therapy (group B) had collections with diameters greater than or equal to 15 mm. There was no significant difference between the groups concerning hospitalization duration. CONCLUSION: Exclusive medical treatment is associated with a high cure rate, mainly for collections with small diameter. We recommend special attention to patients treated with first-line exclusive intravenous antibiotic therapy and with a collection diameter greater than or equal to 15 mm.

Enfermedad invasiva por Streptococcus pyogenes con celulitis de manos bilateral: A propósito de un caso / Invasive Streptococcus pyogenes disease with bilateral cellulitis of the hands: A case report

El Streptococcus pyogenes o estreptococo B hemolítico Grupo A (EßHGA) suele ser una causa poco habitual de enfermedad invasiva en pediatría, la cual ha presentado un aumento en su incidencia en los últimos años. Se define como cualquier infección asociada al aislamiento de dicha bacteria de un sitio normalmente estéril y cuya presentación más frecuente es la bacteriemia. Los pacientes con EßHGA habitualmente se presentan con un sindrome febril asociado a manifestaciones clínicas relacionadas con el sitio primario de infección. Se presenta el caso de una paciente de 10 años, sin comorbilidades, que desarrolló enfermedad invasiva por EßHGA con bacteriemia e impacto secundario de piel y partes blandas resultando en una celulitis de manos bilateral

Streptococcus pyogenes or Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is an infrequent cause of invasive disease in pediatrics. Its incidence has increased in the last few years. It is defined as any infection associated with the isolation of GAS in a normally sterile site and its most frequent presentation is bacteremia. Patients with GAS bacteremia usually present with a febrile syndrome associated with clinical manifestations related to the primary site of infection. We present the case of a previously healthy, 10-year-old patient, who developed an invasive disease due to GAS with bacteremia and secondary impact of skin and soft tissues that developed in bilateral cellulitis of the hands

Molecular characterisation of group A streptococcus isolates recovered from the north-west of Pretoria, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a human pathogen responsible for a wide range of invasive and non-invasive infections. Pharyngitis caused by GAS may have complications such as acute rheumatic fever subsequently leading to rheumatic heart disease (RHD). RHD continues to have high morbidity and mortality and affects millions of children and young adults, mostly in developing countries. An effective preventive vaccine against GAS may reduce the morbidity and mortality. A 30-valent M-protein-based vaccine is currently at the clinical trials stage of development. Potential vaccine coverage will depend on the geographical distribution of GAS emm (M protein) types. OBJECTIVES: To determine the emm types of GAS isolates circulating in the north-west of Pretoria, South Africa. METHODS: Throat swabs were collected from patients aged 3 - 20 years presenting with pharyngitis at one local clinic. In addition, GAS clinical isolates were collected from the National Health Laboratory Service diagnostic laboratory. Emm genotyping was done on the GAS isolates by amplification of the emm gene followed by sequencing of the 5' portion of the gene. The emm types were correlated with the types in the vaccine. RESULTS: A total of 54 GAS isolates were collected, comprising 19 pharyngitis and 35 clinical isolates. We found 15 different emm types among the 43 GAS isolates that were successfully sequenced. Eleven isolates (20%) could not be typed. The most prevalent emm type was 92 (26%), which is part of the 30-valent vaccine. This was followed by emm 25 and 75, each accounting for 12% of the isolates. Up to 67% of the emm types are not covered in the 30-valent vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Fifteen emm types were identified, of which 92 was the most prevalent. It is concerning that 67% of the emm types are not covered in the vaccine currently under development. It is recommended that surveillance studies be extended to include other parts of the country in order to expand knowledge of the circulating emm types.

High prevalence of pharyngeal bacterial pathogens among healthy adolescents and young adults.

The pharyngeal mucosa can be colonized with bacteria that have potential to cause pharyngotonsillitis. By the use of culturing techniques and PCR, we aimed to assess the prevalence of bacterial pharyngeal pathogens among healthy adolescents and young adults. We performed a cross-sectional study in a community-based cohort of 217 healthy individuals between 16 and 25 years of age. Samples were analyzed for Group A streptococci (GAS), Group C/G streptococci (SDSE), Fusobacterium necrophorum, and Arcanobacterium haemolyticum. Compared to culturing, the PCR method resulted in more frequent detection, albeit in most cases with low levels of DNA, of GAS (20/217 vs. 5/217; p < 0.01) and F. necrophorum (20/217 vs. 8/217; p < 0.01). Culturing and PCR yielded similar rates of SDSE detection (14/217 vs. 12/217; p = 0.73). Arcanobacterium haemolyticum was rarely detected (3/217), and only by PCR. Overall, in 25.3% (55/217) of these healthy adolescents and young adults at least one of these pathogens was detected, a rate that is higher than previously described. Further studies are needed before clinical adoption of PCR-based detection methods for pharyngeal bacterial pathogens, as our findings suggest a high incidence of asymptomatic carriage among adolescents and young adults without throat infections.

Effect of erythritol and xylitol on Streptococcus pyogenes causing peritonsillar abscesses.

Polyols are effective against caries-causing streptococci but the effect on oropharynx-derived pyogenic streptococci is not well characterised. We aimed to study the effect of erythritol (ERY) and xylitol (XYL) against Streptococcus pyogenes isolated from peritonsillar abscesses (PTA). We used 31 clinical isolates and 5 throat culture collection strains. Inhibition of bacterial growth by polyols at 2.5%, 5% and 10% concentrations was studied and the results were scored. Amylase levels in PTA pus were compared to polyol effectivity scores (PES). Growth curves of four S. pyogenes isolates were analysed. Our study showed that XYL was more effective than ERY inhibiting 71-97% and 48-84% of isolates, respectively, depending of concentrations. 48% of clinical and all throat strains were inhibited by polyols in all concentrations (PES 3). PES was negative or zero in 26% of the isolates in the presence of ERY and in 19% of XYL. ERY enhanced the growth of S. pyogenes isolated from pus with high amylase levels. Polyols in all concentrations inhibited the growth in exponential phase. In conclusion, ERY and XYL are potent growth inhibitors of S. pyogenes isolated from PTA. Therefore, ERY and XYL may have potential in preventing PTA in the patients with frequent tonsillitis episodes.

Global patterns of necrotizing soft tissue infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Frequency, microbiology, and outcomes of necrotizing soft tissue infections vary based on locoregional and environmental factors; however, there has been no global survey of these patterns. We performed a systematic review/meta-analysis on published reports of necrotizing soft tissue infections from across the globe. METHODS: Peer-reviewed empirical studies examining rates of polymicrobial and monomicrobial necrotizing soft tissue infections with microbial isolation and overall mortality rate were extracted along with geographic location using PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and Web of Science. Random-effects meta-analyses and sensitivity analyses were performed, adjusting for publication bias. Meta-regression analyses examined moderator effects of risk factors. RESULTS: One hundred and five studies (8,718 total patients) were included. Pooled prevalence of polymicrobial and monomicrobial infections were 53% and 37.9%, respectively. Truncal necrotizing soft tissue infections were commonly polymicrobial (P < .001), whereas monomicrobial infections prevailed in extremities (P = .008). Global prevalence of monomicrobial necrotizing soft tissue infections was observed to increase by 1.1% annually (P = .003). Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism globally and in North America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, followed by Streptococcus pyogenes and Escherichia coli. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus accounted for 16% of necrotizing soft tissue infections globally. Overall mortality was 23.1%, observed to decline globally over the last decade (P = .020). No regional differences were noted for mortality. CONCLUSION: Although polymicrobial infections remain predominant worldwide, the incidence of monomicrobial infections is increasing. The observed decline in necrotizing soft tissue infection-related mortality is encouraging and may reflect advances in management, despite major variations in available healthcare resources globally.