While France is facing a resurgence of serious forms and deaths due to streptococci A, recognizing the symptoms of this bacterial infection allows you to treat your child in time.
- Rapid diagnostic orientation tests (TROD) for angina make it possible to verify the viral or bacterial origin of angina in a few minutes, indicates the Ministry of Health and Prevention.
- The Directorate General of Health (DGS) recalls the importance of barrier gestures to protect children from streptococcal A contamination.
Over the past 15 days, an unusual number of invasive Streptococcus A infections has been reported in France: among the 8 children hospitalized in intensive care, 2 died, indicated the General Directorate of Health (DGS) in an urgent statement to healthcare professionals.
Symptoms of a strep A infection are classic
Streptococcus A is the bacteria responsible fora third of angina in children. This bacterial angina generally affects children from the age of 3. The symptoms appear suddenly: severe sore throat, difficulty swallowing, swollen and sensitive glands in the neck, fever…
“Your child may also complain of headaches, nausea, and stomach aches. Children with strep throat usually don’t have cold symptoms (cough and runny nose)”noted a Canadian pediatrician information site.
This bacterium can also cause impetigo (skin infection) or scarlet fever, one of the main childhood diseases.
TROD test essential to diagnose this bacterial infection
To diagnose a strep A infection, doctors or pharmacists should perform a TROD, a “streptotest” which consists of taking a sample from the throat. This test makes it possible to distinguish bacterial angina from viral angina, which is essential to treat it effectively. Sit is a bacterial infection, taking antibiotics is unavoidable.
“It is important to do it, it is provided by the Health Insurance to regulate the taking of antibiotics at the base, especially with the amoxicillin shortage“, indicates Brigitte Virey, the president of the national union of pediatricians in Free lunch.
Vigilance is key. Indeed, without treatment, the streptococcal A infection can become invasive, it then passes into the blood and can cause sepsis.
