PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

UK strep A research shows highest incidence of invasive disease has shifted from the most deprived groups to the second most affluent group

Emm1 strain, more likely to cause severe disease, was more common in 2022 than previous years

2023-04-16
(Press-News.org)  

**Note: the release below is from the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, 15-18 April). Please credit the conference if you use this story**

Measures introduced to reduce transmission of COVID-19 infections during 2020-2021 suppressed transmission of group A streptococcal (GAS) infections, particularly in children. Following the lifting of public health restrictions in the UK in Feb-2022, Group A Streptococcus presentations – including scarlet fever and invasive Group A Strep – rose significantly in England, although iGAS still remained very rare.

After a period of very high incidence in December 2022, scarlet fever notifications are now in line with what is expected at this time of year.However, iGAS notifications remain slightly higher than normally seen at this point in the season.

New research by UKHSA presented at this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, 15-18 April) shows that while no new strains emerged in 2022, emm1, which is more likely to cause severe disease, was more common than in previous years.

Analysis of the populations impacted by the increase in infections found that pre-pandemic, iGAS incidence was higher in the most deprived quintiles, but post-pandemic the highest was in the second most affluent quintile. Further research is needed to understand the reasons for this.

For enquiries/interview requests please contact the UKHSA Press Office. T) +44 20 7654 8400 E) ukhsa-pressoffice@ukhsa.gov.uk 

The authors declare no conflicts of interest

This text is based on abstract 6937 (Late breaker MMK0401 at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) annual meeting. The material has been peer reviewed by the congress selection committee.  The research has been not yet been submitted to a medical journal for publication.

 

 

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Surge of strep A infections, including more dangerous invasive type, has affected Denmark since late 2022, especially in the elderly

2023-04-16
**Note: the release below is from the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, 15-18 April). Please credit the conference if you use this story** During the 2022-2023 winter season Denmark experienced a surge in infections caused by group A streptococci (GAS), including the more dangerous, invasive types of infections (iGAS). Incidence of iGAS is highest among the elderly, but the largest relative increase from previous seasons was seen among children. The study is being presented to the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, ...

Strep A infections among children surged in France across 2022, after nearly two-years of COVID-related low case numbers

2023-04-16
**Note: the release below is from the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, 15-18 April). Please credit the conference if you use this story** New research from France shows that infections cause by Group A Streptococcus (GAS) fell by 80% as the first COVID lockdown took effect in March 2020 and stayed at low levels until March 2022, from which point they increased by 18% a month to rise well above pre-COVID levels. The study is being presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases in Copenhagen, Denmark (15-18 ...

Scientists identify compounds that reduce the harmful side effects of antibiotics on gut bacteria

2023-04-16
**Note: the release below is from the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, 15-18 April). Please credit the conference if you use this story** Antibiotics help to fight bacterial infections, but they can also harm the helpful microbes living in the gut, which can have long-lasting health consequences. Now new research being presented at this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen, Denmark (15-18 April) has identified ...

Disturbed sleep may partially explain post-COVID condition (long COVID) breathlessness

2023-04-16
*Note: this is a joint press release from the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) and The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.  Please credit both the congress and the journal in your stories* A major UK study has discovered that the disturbed sleep patterns in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 was likely to be a driver of breathlessness. The study of patients in 38 institutions across the UK was led by University of Manchester and Leicester, presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (Copenhagen, 15-18 April) and published in The Lancet ...

Bacterial consortium therapy for prevention of recurrent c difficile infection

2023-04-15
About The Study: Among adults with laboratory-confirmed Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) with one or more prior CDI episodes in the last six months and those with primary CDI at high risk for recurrence, high-dose VE303 (a novel oral microbiome-directed therapy composed of nonpathogenic, nontoxigenic, commensal strains of Clostridia) prevented recurrent CDI compared with placebo. A larger, phase 3 study is needed to confirm these findings.  Authors: Jeffrey L. Silber, M.D., of Vedanta Biosciences Inc., in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jama.2023.4314) Editor’s ...

Filtering pollution: A microfluidic device for collecting microplastics via acoustic focusing

Filtering pollution: A microfluidic device for collecting microplastics via acoustic focusing
2023-04-15
Plastic debris particles smaller than 5 mm in size, known as microplastics (MPs), are a serious environmental concern. Formed by the breaking down of plastic waste due to wear and tear and sunlight or produced by fiber waste in laundry wastewater and as microbeads in beauty products, they adsorb and introduce harmful chemicals that pollute the environment. By 2050, MPs might outnumber the fish in the oceans. Under these circumstances, the collection and removal of MPs from water are crucial. Conventionally, MPs are collected by filtering water through meshes. ...

Detailed guidance on natural pacemaker method published today

2023-04-15
Barcelona, Spain – 15 April 2023:  An international consensus statement on the safest and most effective way to implant a pacing system that mimics the heart’s normal function is published today in EP Europace,1 a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The document is being launched at the EHRA Conduction System Pacing (CSP) Summit2 and will be discussed during EHRA 2023, a scientific congress of the ESC.3   “It is estimated that 1.4 million patients worldwide will receive a pacemaker in 2023,” said first author ...

Clinical staff MRSA carriage and environmental contamination by other “superbugs” found in Portuguese veterinary practices

2023-04-15
**Note: the release below is from the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, 15-18 April). Please credit the conference if you use this story** Examination tables, scales and other surfaces in small animal veterinary practices are frequently contaminated with multidrug-resistant “superbugs”, the results of a Portuguese study suggest. The research, which is being presented at this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) ...

Multidrug-resistant bacteria found in 40% of supermarket meat samples

2023-04-15
**Note: the release below is from the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, 15-18 April). Please credit the conference if you use this story** Multidrug-resistant E. coli were found in 40% of supermarket meat samples tested in a Spanish study. E. coli strains capable of causing severe infections in people were also highly prevalent, this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, 15-18 April) will hear. Antibiotic resistance is reaching dangerously high levels around the world. Drug-resistant infections kill ...

Major genetic study reveals how antibiotic resistance varies according to where you live, demographics, and diet

2023-04-15
**Note: the release below is from the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, 15-18 April). Please credit the conference if you use this story** A genetic study analysing the microbiome (bacteria in the gut) of a large nationally representative sample of the Finnish population finds that geographic, demographic, diet, and lifestyle factors are driving the spread of antibiotic resistance in the general population. The most comprehensive study of its kind by Dr Katariina Pärnänen ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Could the contraceptive pill reduce risk of ovarian cancer?

Launch of the most comprehensive, and up to date European Wetland Map

Lurie Children’s campaign urges parents to follow up right away if newborn screening results are abnormal

Does drinking alcohol really take away the blues? It's not what you think

Speed of risk perception is connected to how information is arranged

High-risk pregnancy specialists analyze AI system to detect heart defects on fetal ultrasound exams

‘Altar tent’ discovery puts Islamic art at the heart of medieval Christianity

Policy briefs present approach for understanding prison violence

Early adult mortality is higher than expected in US post-COVID

Recycling lithium-ion batteries cuts emissions and strengthens supply chain

Study offers new hope for relieving chronic pain in dialysis patients

How does the atmosphere affect ocean weather?

Robots get smarter to work in sewers

Speech Accessibility Project data leads to recognition improvements on Microsoft Azure

Tigers in the neighborhood: How India makes room for both tigers and people

Grove School’s Arthur Paul Pedersen publishes critical essay on scientific measurement literacy

Moffitt study finds key biomarker to predict KRASG12C inhibitor effectiveness in lung cancer

Improving blood transfusion monitoring in critical care patients: Insights from diffuse optics

Powerful legal and financial services enable kleptocracy, research shows

Carbon capture from constructed wetlands declines as they age

UCLA-led study establishes link between early side effects from prostate cancer radiation and long-term side effects

Life cycles of some insects adapt well to a changing climate. Others, not so much.

With generative AI, MIT chemists quickly calculate 3D genomic structures

The gut-brain connection in Alzheimer’s unveiled with X-rays

NIH-funded clinical trial will evaluate new dengue therapeutic

Sound is a primary issue in the lives of skateboarders, study shows

Watch what you eat: NFL game advertisements promote foods high in fat, sodium

Red Dress Collection Concert hosted by Sharon Stone kicks off American Heart Month

One of the largest studies on preterm birth finds a maternal biomarker test significantly reduces neonatal morbidities and improves neonatal outcomes

One of the largest studies of its kind finds early intervention with iron delivered intravenously during pregnancy is a safe and effective treatment for anemia

[Press-News.org] UK strep A research shows highest incidence of invasive disease has shifted from the most deprived groups to the second most affluent group
Emm1 strain, more likely to cause severe disease, was more common in 2022 than previous years