Strep strain not a widespread threat: health officials
12.10.2008 20:00
Health
- Source: cbc.ca
A potentially deadly strain of streptococcal infections that contributed to the deaths of 10 people in northwestern Ontario doesn't pose a widespread threat, the province's chief medical officer of health says. "It doesn't seem to be showing and spreading throughout the community [in Thunder Bay], but spreading within a very specific subgroup of the community," Dr. David Williams said. | Group A streptoccal infection may cause a range of symptoms: | | - Mild illness (strep throat, scarlet fever and rheumatic fever or a skin infection such as impetigo that results in pustules and yellow, crusty sores)
| - Severe illness (necrotizing faciitis, also called flesh-eating disease; streptococcal toxic shock syndrome)
| | Sources: Public Health Agency of Canada, U.S. Centers for Disease Control |
Doctors have treated 75 people with Group A streptococcal infection in the Thunder Bay area since August 2007. The outbreak seems to be concentrated in a group of homeless people and intravenous drug users, Williams said Thursday. "For the province [at large], I would say no, it's not a big concern." Most infections minorAbout half of the cases involved the M-59 strain, which has been moving east from British Columbia since 2006. The strain is linked to more than 300 cases across Canada, said Greg Tyrrell, director of Edmonton's National Centre for Streptococcus. Both Tyrrell and Dr. Don Low, microbiologist in chief at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital, said they expect the M-59 strain to keep spreading across the country. "We've seen it out now for a couple of years out west and now in Thunder Bay, so it wouldn't be surprising that it eventually shows up in southern Ontario and the other eastern provinces," said Low. This is strep season, but for most people there is no reason to be worried about this strain, the health officials said. "Most of these infections are going to be minor infections that just cause sore throat or a skin infection, where antibiotics will treat them quite effectively," Low added. Meanwhile, the widow of Daniel MacMaster, 37, who died in a Thunder Bay hospital with invasive group A streptococcal disease in March, said he showed flu-like symptoms when he first became sick. "He went to emergency because he really wasn't feeling good at all," recalled Tina McCallum, MacMaster's common-law partner. "They gave him puffers and a note to take some time off work." MacMaster was one of the 10 who died over the past year. Health officials in Thunder Bay are working on tracing the close contacts of those infected. With files from the Canadian PressStory Tools: E-MAIL | PRINT | Text Size: SMLXL | REPORT TYPO | SEND YOUR FEEDBACKRelatedInternal LinksNew strep strain moving east across CanadaIN DEPTH: Flesh-eating diseaseExternal LinksGroup A Streptococcal (GAS) Disease, U.S. Centers for Disease ControlInvasive Group A Strep, Thunder Bay District Health UnitFlesh-eating disease, Public Health Agency of Canada(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window) Health HeadlinesEconomic downturn poses threat to mental health: WHO The added stress of a global economic downturn could lead to a rise in mental health problems, the World Health Organization said Friday.More genetic baldness links uncovered Some men who carry two genetic variants may have a sevenfold increased chance of showing male pattern baldness, international researchers have found.Morgentaler receives Order of Canada in Quebec CityAbortion-rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler received his Order of Canada award on Friday at a ceremony in Quebec City.Strep strain not a widespread threat: health officialsA potentially deadly strain of streptococcal infections that contributed to the deaths of 10 people in northwestern Ontario doesn't pose a widespread threat, the province's chief medical officer of health says.Most recent listeria finding 'very, very low,' says Maple Leaf CEO Maple Leaf's CEO says the most recent findings of listeria at the company's Toronto plant are a sign its testing system is working. Health FeaturesIN DEPTHNobel PrizeFrom Alfred's willISSUE WATCHHealth careWhy MDs are scarce and what can be done about itHEALTHPsychologyInside the endurance athlete's mindHEALTH CAREMapNursing homes across CanadaHEALTHTuberculosisAnatomy of a killerCHILD PSYCHOLOGYPoliticians' behaviourHow do we explain it to our kids?People who read this also read …
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