Rare strep throat hitting kids hard, doctors warn
Rare strep throat hitting kids hard, doctors warn
As kids return to school following the holiday break, there's been a big uptick in Strep-A — a rare but invasive type of strep throat.
INDIANAPOLIS - As kids return to school following the holiday break, there's been a big uptick in Strep-A — a rare but invasive type of strep throat.
The CDC has issued an advisory warning for kids ages five through 15.
Doctors say the main symptoms to watch for are a high fever, sore throat, and a red skin rash.
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If left untreated, Group-A Strep can also cause rare but potentially deadly invasive diseases.
"For instance, a child could aspirate the bacteria into their lungs, and it could cause pneumonia. Bacteria could also go from the throat into their bloodstream and infect the connective tissue below our skin, or the muscles below our skin," said Dr. Tanley Spinola, Indiana University School of Medicine Microbiology and Immunology.
The invasive strain is responsible for at least two pediatric deaths in the U.S., and more than a dozen in the UK.