Antibiotic policy for severe streptococcal infections reduces risk of spread within families

An invasive group A streptococcal infection (iGAS) can lead to life-threatening diseases. For example, sepsis, puerperal fever, necrotizing fasciitis (sometimes called flesh-eating bacteria), or toxic shock syndrome, which can cause organ failure. Especially young children, elderly, and women around childbirth are more likely to become seriously ill. The mortality rate from iGAS invasive group A streptococci (invasive group A streptococci) is high: about 10% of patients die.

Antibiotic policy adjusted

Family members of someone with iGAS have more than two hundred times higher chance of becoming ill themselves than others. Previously, only family members of patients with the most severe forms of iGAS were offered antibiotics. These were necrotizing fasciitis and toxic shock syndrome. Because the number of iGAS reports increased significantly after lifting corona measures, the policy was adjusted. Since then, all family members of all people with iGAS are offered antibiotics.

Risk five times lower

The risk that a family member of a patient also becomes ill decreased by over 80%. This means the risk has become five times smaller with the new policy. However, the risk for family members to get an iGAS infection is still more than seventy times higher than for the general population. This shows how important it is to provide extra protection to this group.

Little impact on total number of iGAS infections in the Netherlands

The new policy has little impact on the total number of iGAS infections in the Netherlands. Most infections do not arise from direct contact with another patient. Preventing such infections with antibiotics is therefore only useful in certain situations, such as within families where there is already a patient.