Group A streptococcal infections during the seasonal influenza outbreak 2010/11 in South East England

J Scaber; S Saeed; C Ihekweazu; A Efstratiou; N McCarthy; É O’Moore

doi:10.2807/ese.16.05.19780-en

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Group A streptococcal infections during the seasonal influenza outbreak 2010/11 in South East England
J Scaber¹ , S Saeed² , C Ihekweazu² , A Efstratiou³ , N McCarthy¹ , É O’Moore¹
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Affiliations: ¹ Thames Valley Health Protection Unit, Health Protection Agency, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom ² South East Regional Epidemiology Unit, Health Protection Agency, London, United Kingdom ³ Streptococcus and Diphtheria Reference Unit, Respiratory and Systemic Infection Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, Colindale, London, United Kingdom

Correspondence:
J Scaber
jakub.scaber hpa.org.uk
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Citation style for this article: Scaber J, Saeed S, Ihekweazu C, Efstratiou A, McCarthy N, O’Moore É. Group A streptococcal infections during the seasonal influenza outbreak 2010/11 in South East England. Euro Surveill. 2011;16(5):pii=19780. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.16.05.19780-en Received: 24 Jan 2011

Abstract

We present a series of 19 cases of invasive Group A streptococcal (iGAS) infection reported to the Thames Valley Health Protection Unit from 1 December 2010 to 15 January 2011. Ten patients died and a prodrome of influenza-like illness was reported in 14 cases. Influenza B co-infection was confirmed in four cases, three of which were fatal. Our report provides further evidence that influenza B co-infection with iGAS has the potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality.