Strep throat infections soared above pre-COVID highs, report says: ‘We missed cases’

After plummeting during the COVID pandemic in 2020 and 2021, strep throat infections skyrocketed in February 2023, according to a report from Epic Research, a health analytics company.

The rate of group A strep infections (caused by the bacteria Streptococcus) was 30% higher than the previous peak seen in February 2017, according to the report.

Before the pandemic, between January 2017 and February 2020, cases of strep throat followed a consistent trend. Usually, cases would start to rise in the fall and peak in February – before falling back in the spring and summer, according to reports from Epic, which is based in Verona, Wisconsin.

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Beginning in March 2020, amid stay-at-home orders at the start of the pandemic, strep throat infections plummeted.

Preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that severe cases of strep infections decreased by about 25% during the pandemic.

After plummeting during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, strep throat infections skyrocketed in February 2023, according to a report from Epic Research of Wisconsin. (Stock)

Strep cases did not begin to rise again until September 2022, then spiked over the winter leading up to 2023.

Epic’s data is based on the share of clinic and emergency room visits between January 2017 and February 2023 that resulted in positive group A strep cases in the United States and Lebanon. (The data comes from “Cosmos, a limited HIPAA-defined dataset of more than 184 million patients from 199 Epic organizations, including 1,147 hospitals and more than 24,900 clinics,” Epic said in its report, in part. )

The majority of cases involved children between the ages of 4 and 13.

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“Rates of group A strep infections, including the most dangerous invasive type, are at the highest levels seen in years,” confirmed physical medicine and rehabilitation physician Dr. Shana Johnson. in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“In February, cases of strep throat were 30% higher than the previous peak seen in 2017.”

Early data from the CDC also reflects these findings, showing that cases of invasive and less severe strep are at high levels, “similar to or higher than those seen in pre-pandemic years.”

Other viruses may have fueled strep cases

Dr. Marc Siegel, Professor of Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, told Fox News Digital that the surge in Strep A cases is likely the result of other viruses circulating.

“THE recent virus attackincluding COVID-19, have weakened people’s immune systems,” he told Fox News Digital.

“Also, we haven’t been on the lookout and missed cases.”

When streptococci cause invasive infections

In most cases, strep A causes a mild illness, with common symptoms such as sore throat, pain when swallowing, fever, red and swollen tonsils, swollen lymph nodes and tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth , according to the CDC.

Sometimes group A strep can cause serious infections (invasive group A strep or iGA), which in rare cases can cause sepsis, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, and necrotizing fasciitis (a serious bacterial infection that destroys the fabrics). These cases require immediate treatment.

The rate of infections with the bacterium Streptococcus (streptococcus) was 30% higher than the previous peak observed in February 2017. (Stock)

In the United States, there are between 14,000 and 25,000 cases of invasive Strep A cases per year, with 1,500 to 2,300 causing death, the CDC reported.

“Unlike viral respiratory illnesses like colds and flugroup A strep is best treated with antibiotics,” Dr. Johnson told Fox News Digital.

“Antibiotics for strep throat shorten the duration of illness and prevent the infection from getting worse and spreading to other parts of the body.”

Understanding the Antibiotic Shortage

With the current shortage of antibiotics, some cases are not receiving timely treatment, Dr. Siegel said.

“When we don’t deal with it quickly, it has more time to spread,” he told Fox News Digital.

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In October 2022, the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) reported a shortage of amoxicillin, which along with penicillin is among the most commonly prescribed treatments for streptococci.

As of April 2023, amoxicillin remains on the drug shortage list.

Tips to prevent the spread of streptococci

Group A strep bacteria are spread through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, according to the CDC’s website.

“The recent onslaught of viruses, including COVID-19, has weakened people’s immune systems.”

“If you touch your mouth, nose, or eyes after touching something that contains these droplets, you can get sick,” the CDC said.

In most cases, strep A causes a mild illness, with common symptoms such as sore throat, pain when swallowing, fever, red and swollen tonsils, swollen lymph nodes and tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth , according to the CDC. (Stock)

To help reduce the spread, doctors recommend washing your hands often with soap and water, avoiding sharing glasses or utensils with infected people, and covering your mouth and nose when cough or sneeze.

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“If you have strep throat, stay home until your fever is gone and you’ve taken antibiotics for at least 24 hours,” Dr Johnson advised.

Early detection and treatment are important, especially in young children, Dr. Siegel said.

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“Consider using other antibiotics if amoxicillin is scarce,” he added.

Melissa Rudy is Fox News Digital’s health editor and lifestyle team member.

Not all news on the site expresses the point of view of the site, but we transmit this news automatically and translate it through programmatic technology on the site and not from a human editor.

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