Streptococcal infections
Group A strep (strep A) are often found on the surface of the skin and inside the throat. They are a common cause of infection in adults and children.
They can be spread indroplets in the coughs or sneezes ofsomeone with an infection, or through direct contact with an infected person or contaminated object.
Most infections caused by strep A are unpleasant, but don't pose a serious threat to your health. These include:
Click on the links above for more informationon these conditions.
You should see your GP if you have persistent or severe symptoms of astrep A infection, as they may recommenda short course of antibiotics.
Most people with a minor strep A infection will make a full recovery and experience no long-term problems, although there isa very small risk the infection could spread further into the body or lead to complications such as rheumatic fever if left untreated.
In rare cases, strep A bacteria can penetrate deeper inside the tissues and organs of the body, and become what's known as an invasive infection.
These infections are much rarer and usually affect certain groups of people, includingbabies, elderly people,people with diabetes , and people with weak immune systems (for example, because of cancer treatment or HIV ).
Examples of invasive infections include:
Click on the links above for more informationon these conditions.
You should seek immediate medical advice if you think you may have an invasive strep A infection, as you will need to be treated with antibiotics as soon as possible.
Although pneumoniais sometimes relatively mild, the overalloutlook for more serious invasive strep A infections is poor. It's estimated up toonein everyfour people who develop an invasive strep A infection will die from it.
Streptococcal infections are any type of infection caused by the Streptococcus ("strep") group of bacteria.
Group A strep (strep A) are often found on the surface of the skin and inside the throat. They are a common cause of infection in adults and children. They can be spread indroplets in the coughs or sn
Group B strep (strep B) usually live harmlessly inside the digestive system and inthe vagina. Strep B can sometimes cause urinary tract infections (UTIs) , skin infections, bone infections, blood infe