(Press-News.org) Breakthrough research has found that Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections are more likely transmitted from asymptomatic throat carriage than skin-to-skin contact in communities with high rates of infection.
This major discovery has far-reaching implications for public health approaches, vaccine development and future research as it challenges previous understanding of how the bacterium is spread.
GAS (Streptococcus pyogenes), commonly found on the skin and in the throat, can cause infections ranging from sore throats and impetigo (skin infections) to deadly bloodstream infections. In places like remote First Nations communities where the pathogen is widespread, constant exposure to GAS can lead to severe and life-threatening conditions such as rheumatic heart disease.
In this study, published in the journal The Lancet Microbe, the team of scientists shed new light on GAS transmission dynamics in high-risk settings where the bacteria are prevalent, to inform the development of more effective strategies for prevention and control.
Researchers, led by the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute), in collaboration with Menzies School of Health Research and Telethon Kids Institute, analysed the genetic makeup of hundreds of GAS bacterial samples collected 20 years ago from throats and impetigo lesions in remote First Nations communities in the Northern Territory, Australia.
Lead author Dr Jake Lacey, a University of Melbourne researcher at the Doherty Institute, explained that genome sequencing played a pivotal role in determining the contribution of impetigo and asymptomatic throat carriage to GAS transmission.
“Our analysis revealed direct connections between isolates recovered from the skin and throat, challenging common thinking that skin-to-skin contact is the primary mode of transmission. In fact, we found that bacteria found in the throat of people who are not showing any symptoms of infections were the likely source of infection in 63 per cent of cases,” Dr Lacey explained.
Professor Bart Currie, from the Global and Tropical Health Division at Menzies School of Health Research, said that these insights provide valuable clues for better controlling skin infections in remote communities, where limited knowledge of bacterial transmission had posed challenges until now.
“With this new genome knowledge we have been able to map out the spread of the bacteria within and between households. This transmission mapping exercise is particularly important for addressing the disproportionate burden of GAS infections on First Nations Australians in remote communities," Professor Currie said.
The Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Professor Steven Tong, Infectious Diseases Physician at the Doherty Institute and senior author of the research paper, underscored the implications of the findings.
“Our research suggests that public health approaches should not solely focus on skin infections but also consider the role of throat carriage in GAS transmission. For instance, vaccines targeting bacteria in the throat may offer greater efficacy in preventing the spread of infection compared to those that only target disease,” Professor Tong said.
“The burden of GAS infection documented in this study also reiterates the fundamental role of primordial prevention in First Nations health initiatives.
“Importantly, this work also prompts researchers to now consider the importance of throat carriage when assessing the transmission dynamics of GAS.”
END
Bacteria discreetly dwelling in throat revealed to be primary source of Strep A transmission
Breakthrough research has found that Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections are more likely transmitted from asymptomatic throat carriage than skin-to-skin contact in communities with high rates of infection.
2023-07-17
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
First study to directly compare gene mutation type in individuals with CHAMP1 disorder indicates key differences
2023-07-17
New research led by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai has illuminated genetic differences among children with a rare neurodevelopmental condition and could point the way toward a precision medicine approach to caring for these children.
The study is the first of its kind to directly assess differences between individuals with mutations in the CHAMP1 gene and those with deletions of the gene. The analysis was published in Human Genetics on July 17.
CHAMP1 disorder is a genetic, neurodevelopmental condition associated with intellectual disability, medical comorbidities (e.g., seizures, gastrointestinal problems), and dysmorphic ...
Innovative infection prevention program reduces surgical site infections, results in hospital days reduced and $500,000 savings
2023-07-17
Chicago — An innovative anesthesiologist-led infection prevention program helped reduce the number of surgical site infections (SSIs) in colorectal patients by 50%, the number of days in the hospital by 46%, and led to significant cost savings over a two-year period, according to research presented at the virtual American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Anesthesia Quality and Patient Safety Meeting.
“With the skyrocketing cost of medical care for patients and health care institutions, one area physicians can focus on is reducing SSIs,” ...
Shrinking light: Nanoscale optical breakthrough
2023-07-17
Imagine shrinking light down to the size of a tiny water molecule, unlocking a world of quantum possibilities. This has been a long-held dream in the realms of light science and technology. Recent advancements have brought us closer to achieving this incredible feat, as researchers from Zhejiang University have made groundbreaking progress in confining light to subnanometer scales.
Traditionally, there have been two approaches to localize light beyond its typical diffraction limit: dielectric confinement and plasmonic confinement. However, challenges such as precision fabrication and optical loss have hindered the confinement of optical fields to sub-10 nanometer (nm) or even ...
UMD researchers uncover privacy risks in cellphones purchased at police auctions
2023-07-17
Law enforcement agencies nationwide regularly sell items that are seized in criminal investigations or are unclaimed from lost-and-found inventories. Many of these items—vehicles, jewelry, watches and electronic devices like cellphones—end up at online auction houses.
People looking for a bargain can bid on cellphones in bulk, snatching up dozens at rock bottom prices for parts or other uses. This ultimately provides revenue for the police agencies, making for a good deal for everyone involved. Or is it?
A recent study by University of Maryland security experts found that many of the phones sold ...
Bacterial protein found in the urogenital tract may contribute to reduced fertility, birth defects
2023-07-17
A team of researchers from the University of Maryland School of Maryland’s (UMSOM) Institute of Human Virology (IHV), a Center of Excellence of the Global Virus Network (GVN), published new findings that emphasize the crucial role of the urinary and genital tract microbiota in adverse pregnancy outcomes and genomic instability that originate in the womb during fetal development.
The study, published on July 17 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), established a new link between genomic instability and a protein from Mycoplasma fermentans, a kind of bacterium that commonly ...
Picky green sea turtle has travelled to the same place to eat for generations
2023-07-17
For approximately 3,000 years, generations of green sea turtles have returned to the same seagrass meadows to eat. This was discovered by Willemien de Kock, a historical ecologist at the University of Groningen, by combining modern data with archaeological findings. Sea turtles migrate between specific breeding places and eating places throughout their lives–this much was known. But the fact that this stretches over many generations highlights the importance of protecting seagrass meadows along the coasts of North Africa. The results were published in PNAS on July 17.
When young green ...
How skin cancer virus outcompetes host cell replication
2023-07-17
University of Pittsburgh researchers have shown for the first time how Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV), which causes an aggressive skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma, initiates DNA replication in host cells.
Published today in the journal PNAS, the study sheds light on the fundamental question of how viruses override their host cells’ carefully regulated DNA replicating system to make hundreds of new copies of themselves.
“Understanding how MCV replicates gives us really important clues about ...
All about the Benjamins: Researchers decipher the secrets of Benjamin Franklin’s paper money
2023-07-17
Benjamin Franklin may be best known as the creator of bifocals and the lightning rod, but a group of University of Notre Dame researchers suggest he should also be known for his innovative ways of making (literal) money.
During his career, Franklin printed nearly 2,500,000 money notes for the American Colonies using what the researchers have identified as highly original techniques, as reported in a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research team, led by Khachatur ...
Redlining linked to higher heart failure risk among Black adults in US
2023-07-17
Research Highlights:
An analysis of more than two million adults in the U.S. found that present day heart failure risk was higher among Black adults who lived in zip codes historically impacted by redlining compared to Black adults living in non-redlined areas.
Redlining did not have the same impact on heart failure risk among white adults living in historically redlined zip codes.
Among Black adults living in historically redlined communities, approximately half of the excess risk of heart failure appeared to be explained by higher levels of socioeconomic distress.
Embargoed until 1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET Monday, July 17, ...
Racial disparities discovered in patients with cardiac devices
2023-07-17
Black patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have a significantly higher burden of disease than white patients with the same device, according to a new study from University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) cardiology researchers. Analyzing data from clinical trials conducted over a 20-year period by the Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center (CCRC) at URMC, investigators concluded that not only did Black patients with ICDs tend to be significantly younger than white patients, but they also had a higher ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
KAIST Develops Retinal Therapy to Restore Lost Vision
Adipocyte-hepatocyte signaling mechanism uncovered in endoplasmic reticulum stress response
Mammals were adapting from life in the trees to living on the ground before dinosaur-killing asteroid
Low LDL cholesterol levels linked to reduced risk of dementia
Thickening of the eye’s retina associated with greater risk and severity of postoperative delirium in older patients
Almost one in ten people surveyed report having been harmed by the NHS in the last three years
Enhancing light control with complex frequency excitations
New research finds novel drug target for acute myeloid leukemia, bringing hope for cancer patients
New insight into factors associated with a common disease among dogs and humans
Illuminating single atoms for sustainable propylene production
New study finds Rocky Mountain snow contamination
Study examines lactation in critically ill patients
UVA Engineering Dean Jennifer West earns AIMBE’s 2025 Pierre Galletti Award
Doubling down on metasurfaces
New Cedars-Sinai study shows how specialized diet can improve gut disorders
Making moves and hitting the breaks: Owl journeys surprise researchers in western Montana
PKU Scientists simulate the origin and evolution of the North Atlantic Oscillation
ICRAFT breakthrough: Unlocking A20’s dual role in cancer immunotherapy
How VR technology is changing the game for Alzheimer’s disease
A borrowed bacterial gene allowed some marine diatoms to live on a seaweed diet
Balance between two competing nerve proteins deters symptoms of autism in mice
Use of antifungals in agriculture may increase resistance in an infectious yeast
Awareness grows of cancer risk from alcohol consumption, survey finds
The experts that can outsmart optical illusions
Pregnancy may reduce long COVID risk
Scientists uncover novel immune mechanism in wheat tandem kinase
Three University of Virginia Engineering faculty elected as AAAS Fellows
Unintentional drug overdoses take a toll across the U.S. unequally, study finds
A step toward plant-based gelatin
ECMWF unveils groundbreaking ML tool for enhanced fire prediction
[Press-News.org] Bacteria discreetly dwelling in throat revealed to be primary source of Strep A transmissionBreakthrough research has found that Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections are more likely transmitted from asymptomatic throat carriage than skin-to-skin contact in communities with high rates of infection.