A RECENT bout of chickenpox could leave your child vulnerable to another, deadly condition, GPs have warned.
The common bug increases a child’s risk of developing invasive group A Strep disease – which has claimed the lives of six children, health chiefs confirmed.
GettyExperts have warned that chickenpox could put your children at risk of serious complications[/caption]
Parents have been told to familiarise themselves with the symptoms of the illness after the deaths of six children across the UK.
Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, is the latest fatality with local media claiming he sadly died in his home following a cardiac arrest.
Speaking to The Sun, Dr Rachel Ward, practising GP at Woodlands Medical Centre in Didcot said chickenpox could put a child at greater risk due to their weakened immune system.
“Having chickenpox or recent chickenpox is a risk factor for developing invasive Strep A infection due the impact on the immune system of the chickenpox virus and possible skin infection via the spots,” she said.
Read more on Strep A
Sun GP, Dr Zoe Williams added: “It’s important that parents and healthcare professionals remain vigilant when seeing children with potential group A Strep infections, especially in those who have had recent chickenpox or are known to have been in contact with a case of scarlet fever.”
Meanwhile, Dr Elizabeth Whitaker, honorary clinical senior lecturer at Imperial College London, added: “Usually we see a high number of cases in late spring or early summer, often after chickenpox infections.
“High numbers at this time of year are unusual and probably occurring as normal seasonality has not yet returned.
“Tragically, when there are high numbers of infections, the severe cases will also occur.”
Mild in most cases
Dr Zoe told Sun Health that Strep A bacteria usually causes mild illness like tonsillitis, strep throat or skin infections, like impetigo – which can be treated with a full course of antibiotics.
But, she said it can also cause scarlet fever, which is flu-like and tends to occur in children – it can be serious if not treated swiftly with antibiotics.
“Scarlet fever, which can also be cause by Group A Strep is a notifiable disease, meaning that all cases should be reported to the local UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA),” Dr Zoe said.
“The first signs of scarlet fever can be flu-like symptoms, including a high temperature, a sore throat and swollen neck glands.
“A rash appears 12 to 48 hours later. It looks looks like small, raised bumps and starts on the chest and tummy, then spreads. The rash makes your skin feel rough, like sandpaper.
“On white skin the rash looks pink or red. It may be harder to see on brown and black skin, but you can still feel it.
“It remains important that scarlet fever cases are treated promptly with antibiotics to limit further spread, and reduce risk of potential complications in cases and their close contacts.”
Rare but deadly
In rare cases, group A Strep bacteria can cause a condition called invasive group A Strep or iGAS.
It only occurs in three out of every 100,000 cases and only occurs in three out of every 100,000 cases of scarlet fever a year.
“But we seem to be seeing that iGAS infections are up this year in children aged between one and nine,” Dr Zoe said.
“Like other types of group A Strep infections it is easily treated with antibiotics when caught early but the condition can rapidly worsen if the bacteria gets deeper into the body such as the blood.”
What are the signs of Group Strep A you need to know?
The NHS says there are four signs of the illness you need to know.
A fever (meaning a high temperature above 38°C)
Severe muscle aches
Localised muscle tenderness
Redness at the site of a wound
The invasive version of the disease happens when the bacteria break through the body’s immune defences.
This is can happen if you’re already feeling unwell or have an immune system that’s weakened.
Two of the most severe examples of invasive disease are necrotising fasciitis – a very rare but life-threatening infection also called ‘flesh-eating disease’ – and toxic shock syndrome.
Dr Ward added that iGAS happens when the bacteria invades the body and causes serious infections such as toxic shock syndrome, necrotising fasciitis and sepsis.
“Thankfully this is rare but with a number of cases of children dying of this infection, there will be close monitoring and assessment of cases and any new specific guidance will be issued,” she added.
Lockdowns hit immunity
Experts have said a lack of mixing due to the Covid-19 pandemic could be behind a drop in immunity when it comes to Strep A.
During the pandemic, kids were kept off school and were unable to mix with their peers.
Dr Whitaker, said: “During the first two years of the pandemic, we saw very little group A Strep and it has started to circulate again as restrictions have lifted.”
And Dr Simon Clarke, microbiologist at the University of Reading added: “It strikes me that as we are seeing with flu at the moment, lack of mixing in kids may have caused a drop in population-wide immunity that could increase transmission, particularly in school age children.”
He added that at present, he was unaware or any factors linking the four deaths that have been reported across the country.