Emerging Infectious Diseases (Nov 2023)

Group A Streptococcus Primary Peritonitis in Children, New Zealand

  • Amanda Taylor,
  • Brodie M. Elliott,
  • John Atkinson,
  • Sally Roberts,
  • Lesley Voss,
  • Emma J. Best,
  • Rachel Webb

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2911.230211
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 29, no. 11
pp. 2203 – 2209

Abstract

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Group A Streptococcus (GAS) primary peritonitis is a rare cause of pediatric acute abdomen (sudden onset of severe abdominal pain); only 26 pediatric cases have been reported in the English language literature since 1980. We discuss 20 additional cases of pediatric primary peritonitis caused by GAS among patients at Starship Children’s Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand, during 2010–2022. We compare identified cases of GAS primary peritonitis to cases described in the existing pediatric literature. As rates of rates of invasive GAS increase globally, clinicians should be aware of this cause of unexplained pediatric acute abdomen.

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