Strep A may also cause Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome. (Representative Image)
A toddler in Australia was admitted to the intensive care unit after she was diagnosed with Strep A infection, which the doctors had dismissed as "just a fever", according to a report in 7News. The mother of the child, Sandeep Kaur, spoke to the outlet and said that the doctors ruled her problem as a fever. However, her 16-month-old daughter ended up spending nearly two months in the care unit, suffering kidney failure and swelling, which made it difficult for her to walk.
"It was terrible, we never expected that," Ms Kaur told the outlet. Girsirat was misdiagnosed and was actually suffering from Step A, a type of bacteria that can cause sore throats, scarlet fever and skin sores, as per the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. It can also lead to very serious and deadly diseases.
Strep A may also cause Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome, which can result in "low blood pressure, multiple organ failure, and even death," according to the CDC, and necrotizing fasciitis (also known as flesh-eating disease), which can result in amputations or death.
As per the outlet, there is an alarming rise in the number of children being diagnosed with the disease in Australia. So far, cases of severe Strep A are "up more than 500 per cent since the pandemic". According to the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, the number of children admitted to hospital with strep A increased from 23 in 2020 to 107 in 2022. Strep A affects around 750 million individuals worldwide and kills 500,000 people each year.
Although there is no vaccination for Strep A, the CDC advises the best approach to avoid it is to practise basic hygiene, such as washing hands often. It is recommended to wash sick people's utensils and plates after each use, pick up filthy tissues and urge them to cover their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.