Dangerous strep throat cases on the rise in the Peoria area. Here's what you need to know
PEORIA — In the six years Jamie Harwood has been the coroner in Peoria County, he has never seen a case of strep throat result in death until this year.
Since late February, two central Illinois children have died after being hospitalized with strep: a 4-year-old Peoria girl and a 7-year-old Bloomington girl.
“Both were seemingly healthy children who acquired a strep infection. Both were appropriately treated but, unfortunately, different people respond differently to antibiotics and to treatment. Strep infections can progress in spite of the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics,” said Harwood. “That’s the case with these two girls — their conditions continued to deteriorate, the strep continued to spread. It was a sad situation where their bodies just couldn’t handle the infection.”
What is invasive group A strep?
Illnesses caused by group A strep bacteria, such as strep throat and scarlet fever, are common and generally cause mild illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Severe complications from strep happen when, for unknown reasons, the bacteria migrate to other parts of the body and become invasive.
Invasive group A strep, or iGAS, is not common, but the number of cases is rising across the U.S. In Illinois, more cases have been reported in 2023 than in any of the past five years, prompting Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, to bring attention to the issue March 10.
“I want to share my concern about the growing number of strep throat cases in Illinois that are leading to severe complications. These cases, known as invasive group A strep, are the result of disease spreading from the throat to blood, muscle and lungs," he said. “I urge parents to contact their health providers when their children start showing early symptoms. These symptoms include sudden onset of sore throat, pain when swallowing and fever. Early detection is critical as strep can be diagnosed with a simple test and treated with antibiotics.”
Cases on the rise in central Illinois
In the Peoria area, strep cases are unusually high, although exact statistics are not available because strep is not a reportable disease, said Diana Scott, communications manager for the Peoria City/County Health Department. OSF HealthCare pediatrician Dr. Kristine Ray said she has been diagnosing more strep throat this year than in the nine years she has been practicing medicine.
“In the clinic setting we are absolutely seeing an increase in the number of strep infections, strep throat being the most common, and I know all of my colleagues here at this office, in town, and in the state are seeing an increase in strep,” she said. “When we were doing shelter in place (during the pandemic), we could go months without a positive strep test, and yesterday I think I had five or six positive strep tests on kids.”
How is strep contracted and treated?
Strep typically infects children ages 5 to 15, though adults are also at risk if they often have contact with children, according to the CDC. Group A strep is transmitted through respiratory droplets, direct contact, or by drinking from the same glass or eating from the same plate as an infected person.
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While most cases of strep throat do not progress into iGAS, strep is something doctors take very seriously — they always prescribe antibiotics, said Ray.
“There are lots of things that we will do watchful waiting for, like an ear infection. ... A lot of the time we can watch that for a couple days and it might get better. But we always treat strep, and the reason is to prevent complications of the bacteria further down the line, with the heart and the kidneys, that kind of thing. If left untreated, most people do get better from that acute infection, but it needs to be treated to prevent complications.”
No one knows why some children are progressing to iGAS. One thing doctors know is that if there is another infection present, the body will have more trouble overcoming strep. For that reason, Vohra urged parents to make sure children are up to date on their vaccines.
“Having either the flu or chickenpox can increase your risk of contracting invasive group A strep," he said.
When to see the doctor
Symptoms parents should watch for are sore throat, fever, stomach aches and vomiting, and a rash. Cough and congestion are not typically symptoms of strep, but more likely a virus that does not need immediate attention, said Ray.
“If you know your kid and this is how they act when they have a cold, then it’s OK to keep them home and watch them for a few days,” she said. “If there are hydration concerns, high fevers, fevers for more than three days, it’s worth calling. If there is any weird skin stuff, bring them in because we can look at something and know, just on appearance, if it looks like strep or not.”
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Because children can’t always explain how they are feeling, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and call the doctor, Ray said.
“If you are ever not sure or have concerns in pediatrics, we would rather see them than to miss something.”
Leslie Renken can be reached at (309) 370-5087 or lrenken@pjstar.com. Follow her on Facebook.com/leslie.renken.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Potentially deadly strep throat cases on the rise in the Peoria area
