We saw substantial changes in detection of common pathogens like #StrepA during the pandemic as previously reported.
We measured #StrepA antibodies in samples from children recruited to the PERFORM and DIAMONDS studies before and after the pandemic.
We focused on the group who were as representative as possible of children in the wider population excluding those with definite bacterial and viral infections.
Strep GBI 2026 registration is open. Join us for Streptococcus focused research. Keynote from Tom Parks @tom-parks.bsky.social "Streptococcus pyogenes - lessons from the host"
📌 Durham, March 30-31
🌐 strepgbi.wixsite.com/strep-gbi.
Registration/abstracts
👉 pay.durham.ac.uk/event-durham.
Why did severe #StrepA infections in children increase after the pandemic?
Our new @jamanetworkopen paper suggests COVID restrictions delayed immunity development in young children.
tiny.cc/63vt001
Key messages:
Children aged 3-4 were ~1 year behind in #StrepA immunity after the pandemic
This is the age group that experienced the greatest increase in life-threatening Strep A in 2022-23.
We think this might provide a biological basis for the 2022 to 2023 upsurge in severe #StrepA infections in young children.
More importantly, it underscores the vulnerability of young children to dangerous #StrepA infections.
I’m hugely grateful to the many people who contributed, especially the @horizoneu.bsky.social funded DIAMONDS and PERFORM studies
Key additional funding from @wellcometrust.bsky.social
@ukri.org
Important support from @imperialinfect.bsky.social and @imperialbrc.bsky.social and many others.
Why did invasive #strepA infections increase in young children after the pandemic?
In this new @imperialinfect.bsky.social PREPRINT *not peer-reviewed* we look at antibody responses to #strepA and resp viruses in European children before and after the pandemic:
www.medrxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Finally, we urgently need to invest in development of #StrepA vaccines to prevent these life-threatening infections as well as other #StrepA diseases like #RHD.
tiny.cc/63vt001
This cross-sectional study examines changes in immunity to Streptococcus pyogenes and other common respiratory pathogens among young children in 10 European countries after the introduction of nonphar...
Is there still rheumatic fever in the UK? bit.ly/3Py0X1P Join our @rcpch.bsky.social webinar next Friday to hear the answer as well as get a refresher on the clinical features and how we make or refute the diagnosis. #strepA #GAS #RHD #IDSky #PaedsSky #PaedsIDSky
