Strep

Streptococcus agalactiae bacteria, responsible for vaginal and urinary tract infections and newborn infections including meningitis and septicemia. Optical microscopy view.Cavallini James | BSIP | Universal Images Group | Getty ImagesPfizer on Wednesday said its experimental vaccine targeting the potentially deadly bacterial disease Group B Streptococcus returned strong mid-stage clinical trial results, a promising step as the drug inches toward potential approval.Pfizer is among several drugmakers racing to develop the…

Covid-related precautions helped minimize the spread plenty of other communicable diseases. But now, those bugs are back, along with some new challenges. The CDC reports that strep A infections (a.k.a strep throat), caused by a bacterium known as A Streptococcus, have surged from covid lows to above pre-pandemic levels in 2022 and 2023. And the recent spike in strep cases coincides with a shortage of one of the medicines most commonly used to treat the infections, particularly in children, as pointed out in a Monday NPR…

The funeral of 5-year-old Stella-Lily McCorkindale on December 14, 2022 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Stella-Lily died following a severe case of the bacterial infection strep A.Photo: Charles McQuillan (Getty Images)Severe cases of strep A appear to be climbing in parts of the world outside of the UK, where the surge was first reported. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as several children’s hospitals in the U.S. have documented an increase, while doctors in Montreal, Canada recently reported a…

The stew of illnesses swirling through the population right now has many of us sick, sometimes for weeks, but unsure what, exactly, we have. If you’re having symptoms, how can you tell which virus or infection you have? Because flu, Covid, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, have virtually indistinguishable symptoms, doctors say, it’s almost impossible to know without a test. It may not matter which flavor of seasonal virus you’ve got. Unless…

Drugstores are warning of major shortages of key antibiotics used to treat Strep A, as cases rise in the U.K.Marko Geber | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesLONDON — Drugstores in Britain are warning of shortages of key antibiotics used to treat Strep A, as cases rise and the number of child fatalities reaches 15.A surge in Group A Streptococcus, especially among schoolchildren, has increased demand for amoxicillin and penicillin, the main antibiotic treatments, over the past week.Where supplies do exist, they are "flying off…

Photo: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)A common bacterial infection known as Strep A has likely killed over a dozen children in the UK in recent months. On Friday, health officials reported yet another fatality linked to the bacteria, which can, in rare cases, cause a more invasive and life-threatening infection. There are likely several reasons why the outbreak appears to be more severe than usual, though government experts have ruled out the possibility of a more virulent strain behind it.At least 13 children in England have…

Streptococcus A — or Group A Strep (GAS) — is a bacterial infection of the throat or skin, which typically arises during the winter months.Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty ImagesHealth officials in the U.K. are warning parents to be alert after a recent spate of severe Strep A infections resulted in the deaths of at least six children.The U.K.'s Health Security Agency issued a rare health warning Friday urging parents to monitor their children for tell-tale symptoms of the illness, which can include a sore throat,…