Group A streptococcal infections in children

Abstract

With the advent of antimicrobials during World War II, and a natural decline that began before then, dread diseases began to assume a less important role, especially in industrialised countries. By the 1970s, acute rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephritis were rarely seen, even though acute streptococcal infections continued to occur with their usual frequency and severity. In the 1980s, attention was once again focused on infections caused by group A streptococcus and its sequelae. The most common infections caused by group A streptococcus are pharyngitis and pyoderma, which occur in children particularly.