What is invasive Strep A disease?
Streptococcus A is a bacterium often found in the throat and on the skin. The most common infections caused by Strep A are sore throat and skin infections. Studies have shown 8–12 per cent of school-aged children have Strep A bacteria in their throat at any one time. However, many people do not experience any symptoms.
Severe, life-threatening invasive Strep A disease occurs when the bacteria enter the blood stream, muscle or lungs and the resulting flesh-eating infection rapidly spreads throughout the body, leading to disfiguring scars, loss of limbs and multi-organ failure.
What are the symptoms of invasive Strep A?
Time is critical when it comes to invasive Strep A: there are just hours between a healthy child and the devastating consequences of the disease. It is estimated that 10–15 per cent of people with invasive Strep A disease don’t survive.
Symptoms include:
- High fever
- Severe muscle aches and pain
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms, please consult your GP or visit the nearest emergency department without delay.
How common is invasive Strep A disease?
Invasive Strep A disease is three times more common than meningococcal disease in Australia and just as deadly, but most people are unaware of its existence.
Invasive Strep A disease affects five out of 100,000 people and is most common in young children and the elderly.
Is there a vaccine?
There is currently no vaccine to prevent invasive Strep A disease. With the number of cases of invasive Strep A disease currently on the rise around Australia, the development of a vaccine is more important than ever.
The Kids Research Institute Australia is leading a national and international push to secure funding and develop tools to fast-track a vaccine against all diseases caused by Streptococcus A bacteria, potentially having a major global impact on reducing deaths worldwide.
Our Research Impact
- The Strep A Vaccines research team, part of the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, is primarily focused on the Australian Strep A Vaccine Initiative (ASAVI) program of work funded by a $35 million grant from the Australian Government to accelerate the development of a Strep A vaccine.
- The Sore Throat Study – ASAVI, jointly run by researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, is looking to enrol 1,050 healthy children and young people aged 3–14 years across Perth and Victoria so they can find out more about the causes of sore throats, and how to prevent them. The study is an important first step towards a vaccine against the bacteria Strep A, which can be one cause of mild throat infections and impetigo (also known as skin sores or school sores).
- ASAVI has expanded its potential vaccine portfolio to five candidates from three different developers, and negotiations for agreements are in progress. The team is working on establishing a central Strep A laboratory and has gained formal accreditation by the National Association of Testing Authorities.
