There has been a rise in rare invasive Group A strep this year, particularly in children under 10
A leading GP has urged parents to be alert after increased outbreaks of scarlet fever and Strep A have been reported across Northern Ireland.
Last week, the Public Health Agency said there has been an increase in scarlet fever, above the levels usually seen at this time of year with clusters reported at schools and nurseries in Antrim, Belfast, Bangor and Craigavon. Dr Ursula Mason, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners and a GP Partner in Carryduff Surgery, explained the current picture.
"We have circulating RSV and flu every year and scarlet fever and Group A Strep infections have also been increasing year-on-year to a larger degree so we're seeing this in the younger population anyway. But we are seeing increasing numbers who are developing this scarlet fever type picture and that is a tonsillitis but it's also associated with very specific features such as paler ring around the mouth, strawberry tongue and a sandpaper rash.
"A lot of these bacteria and viruses live quite happily in or on our bodies and don't cause us any problems but then from time to time you can become infected with a bacteria or virus. You could swab lots of people and find Strep A but it's not actually causing any disease or problems and you can have the situations where it is actually very florid and cause quite life-threatening infections," she added.
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