Recognising group A streptococcal disease in pregnancy

In their Article in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Emma Sherwood and colleagues 1 Sherwood E Vergnano S Kakuchi I et al. Invasive group A streptococcal disease in pregnant women and young children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2022; (published online April 4.)https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00672-1 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (8) Google Scholar report on a systematic review and meta-analysis of the incidence of invasive group A streptococcal disease in pregnant women and young children worldwide. They found a high disease incidence and risk of death in young children with invasive group A streptococcus in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, few data were available from LMICs for neonates and children and no data were available for pregnant women. The authors concluded that incidences given in their review are likely to be underestimates, particularly in LMICs due to the low group A streptococcus surveillance. Invasive group A streptococcal disease in pregnant women and young children: a systematic review and meta-analysisWe found a substantial burden of invasive GAS among young children. In LMICs, little data were available for neonates and children and no data were available for pregnant women. Incidences of invasive GAS are likely to be underestimates, particularly in LMICs, due to low GAS surveillance. It is essential to improve available data to inform development of prevention and management strategies for invasive GAS. Full-Text PDF Open Access