What illnesses are caused by Group A streptococcal infection?
– Infection with GAS can result in a wide range of diseases and symptoms: a. No illness, b. Mild illness (strep throat or a skin infection such as impetigo), and c. Severe illness (necrotizing fasciitis, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome). 4. What is necrotizing fasciitis? – Necrotizing fasciitis (occasionally described by the media as “the flesh-eating bacteria”) is an invasive form of GAS disease that destroys muscles, fat, and skin tissue. About 20% of patients with necrotizing fasciitis die. 5. What is Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS)? – STSS causes blood pressure to drop rapidly and organs (e.g., kidney, liver, lungs) to fail. STSS is not the same as the “toxic shock syndrome” frequently associated with improper tampon usage. More than half of patients with STSS die. 6. How common is invasive Group A streptococcal disease? – About 9,400 cases of invasive GAS disease occurred in the United States in 1999. Of these, about 300 were STSS and 600 were necrotizing fasciitis. I
