Episode 225: Group A Strep

Group A strep in the pediatric ED: from strep throat to invasive disease and toxic shock.

Host:

Ellen Duncan, MD, PhD

Brian Gilberti, MD

https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Group_A_Strep.mp3

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Tags: Infectious Diseases, Pediatrics

Show Notes

Background

Group A strep = Streptococcus pyogenes — gram-positive organism that colonizes the pharynx, but also the perianal and genital mucosa (worth remembering when the source isn’t the throat).

Extremely common. The episode cites an estimated ~289 million cases/yr of strep pharyngitis in children 5–14 (NIH). For a U.S.-specific, verifiable anchor: the CDC estimates strep throat drives ~5.2 million outpatient visits/yr in people <65.