The ad has been published EODI regarding reports of three cases of hemolytic streptococcal infection.

The organization confirms that three deaths have been reported in the country: two six-year-old children and one 19-month-old infant. However, he notes that these are isolated cases, and therefore there are currently no public health measures or specific recommendations for the population, other than the basic recommendation to practice good hygiene and contact a pediatrician, which applies to all respiratory infections.

EODY Announcement

Regarding the publication of three cases of group A hemolytic streptococcus (GAS) infection that occurred and were reported by the National Public Health Organization to the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC), we would like to highlight the following:

Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GAS) is a common bacterium that some people carry on their throat and skin without showing symptoms of infection (carriage). A particular pathogen may, in some cases, cause a mild or even more severe infection. In rare cases, if it enters parts of the body that are normally sterile from bacteria, it causes a severe invasive infection (iGAS), which leads to hospitalization or even death.

Individual infections are not tracked because there are no specific preventive measures or public health interventions in case of outbreaks. The infection is treated with antimicrobial therapy.

In our country, paediatricians are adequately trained for the clinical suspicion of streptococcal infection, community-based laboratory diagnosis is widely available with inexpensive rapid tests (strep test), and hospitals often deal with such infections.

This year saw the first request to report serious cases of infection in children resulting in death to ECDC due to an increase in cases in the UK and other European countries. It is currently being investigated whether the occurrence of reported cases is due to normal activity of the pathogen and increased laboratory testing since the pandemic, as there are no records of severe cases of group A β-hemolytic streptococcus (GAS) infection in most countries. ) last years.

EODY, having received relevant information from ECDC, has informed the country’s hospitals, as well as public health authorities, of the information currently available.

Publication of individual cases resulting from exposure to a communicable disease is not public health practice unless it aims to inform and specifically advise the public. In addition, reporting individual incidents carries the risk of disclosing the identity of family members.

Thus, based on the fact that there are currently no public health measures or specific recommendations for the public, other than the basic recommendation to practice good hygiene and consult a pediatrician that applies to all respiratory infections, reporting individual serious infections is not considered appropriate.

However, we confirm that three cases of death of two children aged 6 years and one child aged 19 months have been recorded in the country, and there is no epidemiological connection between them. Deaths were registered on 10/02/2023, 02/24/2023 and 03/23/2023, respectively.

EODY is in constant contact with the ECDC, and in case of issuing instructions or recommendations to health authorities, immediately informs the public and the medical community. At the same time, systematic declaration to the ECDC will continue as long as increased surveillance of serious iGAS infections at the European level continues. Data for Greece, as well as for other European countries, are published weekly by ECDC and are publicly available.