Publication date: Jul 09, 2025
During the late phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, several high-income countries reported a surge in invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) infections, with notable paediatric morbidity and mortality. This Review explores three potential drivers of this increase: the role of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated non-pharmaceutical interventions on group A streptococcus (GAS) circulation; the potential burden associated with other respiratory viruses such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus; and the potential role of hypervirulent GAS clones and lineages. The resurgence of iGAS disease highlights the need for enhanced surveillance of both invasive and non-invasive GAS infections, as well as further research to clarify the role of immunity, viral interactions, and bacterial molecular epidemiology and its evolution. A comprehensive understanding of these dynamics is essential to inform future public health strategies aimed at mitigating the burden of iGAS disease.
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Bacterial | Burden |
| Drivers | Gas |
| Influenza | Group |
| Paediatric | Igas |
| Infections | |
| Invasive | |
| Late | |
| Learned | |
| Lessons | |
| Non | |
| Pandemic | |
| Potential | |
| Respiratory | |
| Streptococcal | |
| Upsurge |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | group A streptococcal infections |
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 pandemic |
| disease | MESH | infections |
| disease | MESH | morbidity |
| disease | IDO | role |
| disease | MESH | influenza |