Ongoing Excess Hospitalizations for Severe Pediatric Group A Streptococcal Disease in 2023–2024—A Single-Center Report

Nina Schöbi; Andrea Duppenthaler; Matthias Horn; Andreas Bartenstein; Kristina Keitel; Matthias V. Kopp; Philipp K. A. Agyeman; Christoph Aebi

doi:10.3390/idr16050067

Infectious Disease Reports (Sep 2024)

Ongoing Excess Hospitalizations for Severe Pediatric Group A Streptococcal Disease in 2023–2024—A Single-Center Report

Nina Schöbi,
Andrea Duppenthaler,
Matthias Horn,
Andreas Bartenstein,
Kristina Keitel,
Matthias V. Kopp,
Philipp K. A. Agyeman,
Christoph Aebi

Affiliations

Nina Schöbi: Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland
Andrea Duppenthaler: Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland
Matthias Horn: Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland
Andreas Bartenstein: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland
Kristina Keitel: Pediatric Emergency Center, Department of Pediatrics, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland
Matthias V. Kopp: Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland
Philipp K. A. Agyeman: Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland
Christoph Aebi: Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/idr16050067
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16, no. 5
pp. 864 – 869

Abstract

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A Europe-wide outbreak of invasive pediatric group A streptococcal infections (iGAS) began in fall 2022. Here, we report the evolution of GAS hospitalizations in children and adolescents during the second outbreak year in 2023–2024 at a tertiary center in Switzerland. Using prospective monitoring of all in-patient GAS cases below 16 years of age, including those with iGAS, we compared case frequencies and clinical characteristics in three time periods (2013–2020; 2022–2023; 2023–2024). Annual GAS hospitalizations increased from a median of 25 cases (range 11–28) in 2013–2020 to 89 and 63 cases, respectively, in 2022–2023 and 2023–2024. iGAS cases evolved similarly (2013–2020, 4 cases (3–8); 2022–2023, 32 cases; 2023–2024, 21 cases). The decline in cases from 2022–2023 to 2023–2024 included all types of GAS organ involvement, except suppurative infections in the head area, which remained largely unchanged (48 vs. 45 cases). Pleural empyema declined from 13 to 7 cases, possibly explained by a poor overlap of the GAS and influenza curves, respectively, in 2023–2024 compared to 2022–2023. These data document the prolongation of the GAS outbreak into its second winter season in 2023–2024.

Published in Infectious Disease Reports

ISSN: 2036-7430 (Print); 2036-7449 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Other systems of medicine
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/idr

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