Very rarely, strep A can cause severe illness when the bacteria get into parts of the body that are usually free from bacteria. This is called invasive group A streptococcal disease. What is invasive group A streptococcal disease?

It usually takes two to five days for someone exposed to group A strep bacteria to become ill with strep throat. Respiratory droplets Sadly, so far this season, there have been 426 deaths (from any cause recorded within 7 days of an iGAS infection diagnosis) across all age groups in England, compared to 401 in the last update. This figure includes 48 children aged under 18 years in England, an increase of one since the last update. In the September 2017 to September 2018 season, there were 354 deaths in total across the season, including 27 deaths among children aged under 18 years. Strep A tests are not available through the NHS in Scotland for self-testing at home. Should you or your child need to be tested for Strep A, your GP or other healthcare professional will advise you. GAS infections Group A strep bacteria often live in the nose and throat. People who are infected spread the bacteria by talking, coughing, or sneezing, which creates respiratory droplets that contain the bacteria.Martin JM. The mysteries of streptococcal pharyngitis. Curr Treat Options Peds. 2015;1(2):180-189. doi:10.1007/s40746-015-0013-9 In some people, the bacteria live in the body without causing symptoms or making them feel unwell. But they can still pass the bacteria on to others. Doctors perform strep tests because the symptoms of strep throat can be similar to those of other conditions, including viral infections. Only bacterial infections, such as strep throat, will respond to antibiotics.

NICE's guideline on antimicrobial prescribing for acute sore throat was developed to help limit antibiotic use and reduce antimicrobial resistance. The guidance advises that sore throat is self-limiting. Also, it recommends using clinical scoring criteria such as Centor or FeverPAIN to help identify people who are more or most likely to benefit from an antibiotic. However, the guidance does not cover the potential use of rapid tests for strep A to increase diagnostic confidence of strep A infection and guide antimicrobial prescribing. You or your child is having difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their tummy pulling in under their ribs). If a child has low muscle tone, it may be harder for them to clear their airways if they catch get a winter infection like flu or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This in turn can make them more susceptible to Strep A infections.So far this season, there have been 85 iGAS cases in children aged 1 to 4 compared to 194 cases in that age group across the whole of the last comparably high season in 2017 to 2018. There have been 60 cases in children aged 5 to 9 compared to 117 across the whole of the last comparably high season in 2017 to 2018. The majority of cases continue to be in those over 45.