Streptococcal Infections

Streptococcal infections (strep for short) cause a variety of health problems. There are two types: group A and group B. Antibiotics are used to treat both.

Group A strep causes

Strep throat - a sore, red throat, sometimes with white spots on the tonsils
Scarlet fever - red rash on the body
Impetigo - a skin infection
Toxic shock syndrome
Cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease)

Group B strep can cause blood infections, pneumonia and meningitis in newborns. A screening test during pregnancy can tell if you have it. If you do, I.V. antibiotics during labor can save your baby's life. Adults can also get group B strep infections, especially if they are elderly or already have health problems. Strep B can cause urinary tract infections, blood infections, skin infections and pneumonia in adults.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Group A Streptococcal Infection on Wikipedia

The '''group A streptococcus bacterium''' (''Streptococcus pyogenes'') is a form of ''Streptococcus'' bacteria responsible for most cases of streptococcal illness. Other types (B, C, D, and G) may also cause infection. Group B streptococci cause most streptococcal infections in newborns and maternal post-labor/delivery infections.

Strep throat

Signs and Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of strep throat are red, sore throat with white patches on tonsils, swollen lymph nodes in neck, fever, and headache. Nausea, vomiting, and abdomen pain are more common in children. The patient will usually not have a cough, unlike in a viral infection or coldlike symptoms including stuffy noses and sneezing.

Transmission

The illness is caused by the bacterium ''Streptococcus pyogenes'' and is spread by direct, close contact with patients via respiratory droplets (coughing or sneeze). Casual contact rarely results in transmission. Rarely, contaminated food, especially milk and dairy product, can result in outbreaks. Untreated patients are most infectious for 2-3 weeks after onset of infection. Incubation period, the period after exposure and before symptoms show up, is 2-4 days. Patient is no longer infectious within 24 hours of commencing treatment.

Diagnosis

The throat of the patient is swabbed for culture or for a rapid strep test (5 to 10 min) which can be done in the doctor's office. If the rapid test is negative, a follow-up culture (which takes 24 to 48 h) may be performed. A negative culture suggests a virus infection, in which case antibiotic treatment should be withheld or discontinued. In the United Kingdom, rapid strep testing is not available to general practitioners and a clinical decision must be made whether to treat, whilst awaiting upto 7 days for a swab result to be reported. This is criticized for encouraging overuse ... [ Read More ]

External Resources

Research Links OCD and Streptococcal Infections - Article from the Psychiatric Times.

MedlinePlus: Streptococcal Infections - Directory of articles, factsheets, and news.

Group A Streptococcal Infections - Factsheet with brief discussions on the diseases that strep A causes.

Prevention of Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Infection American Academy of Family Physicians - Offers information and resources.

Revised Guidelines for Prevention of Early-onset Group B Streptococcal (GBS) Infection (RE9712) - Guidelines published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Group B Streptococcal Infections - Learn about Group B streptococcus, a type of bacterium that causes life threatening infections in newborn babies.

Infectious Disease - Provides consultation and care for ambulatory and hospitalized patients with a wide variety of infectious diseases. Particular areas of interest include Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Streptococcal infections, Herpes infections, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, recurrent infections, and fevers of unknown origin.

BLIS Technologies Limited - Developed the anti-bacterial protein, Salivaricin B, for treatment of streptococcal throat infections, rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. [BLIS - bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance]

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