Concern has caused the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenesalso known as “killer bacteria“, which has worsened influenza cases in the country, even causing death.
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Last week, in fact, the Eloísa Díaz Hospital in La Florida confirmed the death of a 12-year-old girl after suffering from “a case of influenza.” complicated by an infection Streptococcus pyogenes“, as they noted in a statement.
The situation has generated alert in the Ministry of Health (Minsal), who have defined that the bacteria – also called group A streptococcus – “can cause a wide spectrum of diseases, from acute pharyngitis or skin infections, to serious and life-threatening infections“.
In particular, as reported Third, the Ministry of Health already sent the last may 27th an ordinary to the establishments of the healthcare network where they talk about a “general warning and instructions” given the possibility of an increase in cases of “invasive disease caused by group A streptococci.
This is streptococcus pyogenes or “killer bacteria”
The head of Hospital Pediatrics at UC Christus Marcela Monge explained in conversation with 24 Hour Channel that, classically, influenza was superinfected “by a bacteria called pneumococcus, however, With vaccinations the rate of pneumococcus infection has been decreasing“.
But currently, the expert commented, the appearance of Streptococcus pyogenes or group A streptococcus as a coinfectant of influenza is a scenario that “has caught our attention”, producing “several alerts in different parts of the world“.
“This group A streptococcus is a classic producer of bacterial tonsillitis (…) however, there are some strains that can be very invasive at the skin level. It was called the killer bacteria, because it can begin to deepen its involvement in skin lesions.“Monge clarified.
Likewise, the bacteria can “not only stay in the tonsils, but cause lung involvement, abscesses (…) be much more invasive than tonsillitis“.
“It is not the most common. I do not want to say that anyone with influenza is going to have a superinfection with group A streptococcus, but there has been an increase and a greater association than other years“said the professional.
How to prevent influenza?
Monge noted that “the first thing is to get vaccinated to avoid opening the doors to bacterial superinfections with an influenza virus.
Secondly, he stated that it is important to “be very attentive to the warning signs: rash skin, a non-classical evolution to influenza, a prolonged fever, a very marked tonsillitis.
“Influenza generally causes a sore throat, but not severe pain, plaques of pus, prolonged cough or respiratory infection. We must be attentive for early consultation“, hill.
