Streptococcus pyogenes in cities: In addition to worry, we must also be careful

“While it is true that there is currently no increase in invasive cases that would be considered serious enough to cause concern to the community, the reality is that we must remain vigilant.”

Dr. Antonio Sica, Director of Health Projects of the Municipality of Puerto Blanca, said that this is related to the emergence of Streptococcus pyogenes, a bacterium that can cause different and complex pathologies, especially in children under 18 years of age.

The most common is pharyngitis, but there are also some skin infections, such as cellulitis, and some diseases characterized by outbreaks, such as scarlet fever.
“An increase in registered scarlet fever cases has been seen,” he added.

“The numbers are something that needs to be dealt with. Because of the increase in cases of strep, which is a historical bacterium rather than a recent one, all pediatricians are staying concerned because they already know it.

In this sense, it is important to reinforce the message to health teams and make people aware of the eventual increase in statistics so that action can be taken accordingly,” he said.

The official said all health units in Puerto Blanca have computer systems for medical records.

“When a person receives treatment, professionals upload all data. From the epidemiological field, these diagnoses are monitored and those that require mandatory reporting to the national system are sent (NdR: sent to the Malbran Institute and Ministry of Health) and then analyze it,” he explained.

Dr. Antonio Sica, Director of Health Programs at Puerto Blanca.

“When more cases are discovered, reports are requested and more detailed investigations are carried out. This time, the scarlet fever curve in the city has been increasing,” he said.

He added: “Cases continued to grow in October and November this year, although the trend was not as clear as the peak in mid-July.”

“What if it’s a seasonal problem? Strep infections and other bacteria always have a curve; especially those that are viral. But now they’re dominant in the winter and summer,” he describes.

As for the reason, Dr. Sika said there are no details on the matter yet.

“Some mutations in strep may play a role in making it a little more virulent, but the reality is that the cause isn’t always found, and often it’s not just one cause.

“Cases continued to increase in October and November, but the trend was not as clear as the peak from mid-July to September.”

Professionals say the disease does not exclude the elderly.

“It affects everyone from children to adults, although it does have more records in people under 18, particularly in those aged 2 to 14,” he noted.

He also insisted that if a positive case is found, he will be treated with antibiotics for 10 days and that the situation will resolve in the vast majority of cases.

Important: Do not self-medicate

“Why is self-medication not important? One reason is that in children under 2 years old, it is common for upper respiratory tract infections to be caused by viruses,” Dr. Sikka assured the outlet.

“That’s why the advice is that when suspicious symptoms appear, you should seek counseling, and that’s what happened here,” he said.

Uncontrolled medication use, especially antibiotics prescribed by laypeople, increases the likelihood of bacterial resistance, professionals explain.

“When bacteria emerge, use X antibiotic and the disease is solved; on the other hand, due to abuse and improper use, resistance develops and the same antibiotic is no longer the answer to the problem,” the official said.

suggestion

– Scarlet fever is a disease spread by Group A Streptococcus bacteria.

— It is spread through contact with the secretions of an infected person (droplets spread when coughing or sneezing) and surfaces or objects contaminated by these secretions. These symptoms usually appear within one to three days after infection.

– It is recommended to consult a doctor if fever is present along with any of the following symptoms: sore throat, localized skin pain, redness and/or small blisters.

—While there is no specific vaccine to protect against this bacterium, it is important to stay up-to-date on vaccinations to avoid other diseases that may favor the invasion of this bacterium.

—To prevent scarlet fever and other respiratory diseases, it is recommended to wash hands frequently with soap and water; cover your mouth and nose with a disposable tissue or the inside of your elbow when coughing or sneezing; throw the disposable tissue into the trash immediately after use and clear the room Ventilate and allow sunlight into homes and other enclosed environments.

Also keep doorknobs and commonly used items clean; avoid sharing food, drinks, utensils, or glasses; stay home and rest until symptoms resolve; drink plenty of fluids; if you have symptoms of a respiratory infection or other illness spread by aerosol or contact , please clean surfaces and objects that have been in contact with water, detergent or alcohol, and do not go to confined spaces.

— Treatment of pharyngitis and/or scarlet fever is with rest and isolation until clinical improvement occurs 48 hours after starting antibiotic therapy; light diet; adequate hydration; antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs: used as needed Antibiotic treatment with ibuprofen or paracetamol and oral penicillin every 12 hours for 10 days.