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Varicella-Zoster Infections
Toxic Shock Syndrome
Group A Streptococcal Infections

PEDIATRICS Vol. 105 No. 5 May 2000, p. e60

ELECTRONIC ARTICLE:
Invasive Group A Streptococcal Disease in Children and Association With Varicella-Zoster Virus Infection

Received Oct 5, 1999; accepted Dec 20, 1999.

Kevin B. LauplandDagger , parallel , , H. Dele Davies*, Dagger , §, parallel , , Donald E. Low**, Benjamin Schwartz#, Karen Green**, the Ontario Group A Streptococcal Study Group, and Allison McGeer**

From the Departments of * Pediatrics and Dagger  Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, § Alberta Children's Hospital, parallel  Department of Medicine,  University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta; # Childhood and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Epidemiology Section, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; and ** Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital and the Toronto Medical Laboratories, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.

Objectives.  To describe the incidence and clinical features of invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) disease in children in Ontario and determine the risk of invasive GAS infection following chickenpox.

Methods.  During 1992-1996, we conducted prospective, active, population-based surveillance for pediatric invasive GAS disease in Ontario, Canada (population: 11 million; 2.5 million children) and reviewed clinical and laboratory records.

Results.  There were 1.9 cases of invasive GAS disease per 100 000 children per year. Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) occurred in 7% of cases and necrotizing fasciitis (NF) in 4% for incidences of .08 and .13 per 100 000 per year, respectively. Case-fatality rates were 56% for STSS, 10% for NF, and 4% overall. The presence of chronic underlying illness other than asthma was associated with death (relative risk [RR]: 11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.4-45). Fifteen percent of children identified had preceding chickenpox infection, which significantly increased the risk for acquisition of invasive GAS disease (RR: 58; 95% CI: 40-85). Children with invasive GAS and recent chickenpox were more likely to have NF (RR: 6.3; 95% CI: 1.8-22.3).

Conclusions.  Childhood invasive GAS disease occurs at an incidence similar to the adult population but has a lower rate of STSS and case-fatality. Chickenpox dramatically increases the risk for acquiring invasive GAS disease, and universal chickenpox vaccination could potentially prevent up to 15% of all pediatric invasive GAS disease.  Key words:  varicella, group A streptococcus, pediatric, risk.




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