Status: Active
Date issued: 23 December 2022
Issued by: Professor Brett Sutton, Chief Health Officer
Issued to: Health professionals
Key messages
- A recent increase in cases of invasive group A streptococcal disease (iGAS) has been observed in Victoria, and internationally.
- iGAS is caused by infection with a bacterium known as Group A (beta-haemolytic) Streptococcus, which also commonly causes skin and throat infections.
- Clinical manifestations of iGAS include sepsis, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, necrotizing fasciitis, pneumonia/empyema, retropharyngeal abscess, meningitis, osteomyelitis and septic arthritis.
- Young children, pregnant or post-partum women, and the elderly are at increased risk of iGAS.
- Clinicians should consider testing, urgent hospital referral and empiric treatment for patients with a compatible clinical illness.
- The overall risk of iGAS for the general population remains low.
- iGAS is a routine notifiable condition in Victoria (laboratories only).
- Read the full advisory.
