Five years after the global hyperfocus on Covid-19 began, some are worried about the next pandemic. Whether it could be caused by the flu, Bird flu Or another pathogen.
Too often overlooked are the fast-growing, non-covid viruses and bacteria that have grown and unchecked. They may not cause the next pandemic, but they cause many illnesses and deaths.
One such bacteria is Streptococcus Group A, an old enemy that colonizes nearly 20% of the throat and tonsils. Our kidsAccording to Dr. Joshua Osowicki, team leader and senior research fellow at Murdoch Children’s Institute in Melbourne, Australia.
CDC warns of increased invasive strain in US Streptococcus
This problematic bacterial strain is easily treated Penicillin medicine It causes a clinical infection, Osowicki told Fox News Digital in an interview on camera.
Streptococcus Group A bacteria are on the rise worldwide, doctors warn. (istock)
But the problem, he said, is that the diagnosis is not always discovered quickly enough because the bacteria may be carrying it.
scar scar fever and rheumatoid fever/rheumatoid arthritis Heart disease It could be due to recurrent or untreated streptococci – and they are again increasing in areas without proper medical care, including parts of the United States
“Rheumatic heart disease is a chronic, non-communicable disease that occurs after untreated group-based streptococcal infections, and almost certainly occurred after multiple untreated group-based streptococcal infections,” Osowicki said.
Streptococcal infections have skyrocketed above pre-Covid highs, the report said:
His research reveals that the prevalence of life-threatening invasive versions of Strip Group A, including deep-rooted skin infections, sepsis, meningitis and fatal pneumonia, is on the rise worldwide.
Related aggressive skin infections Intravenous drug usealong with antibiotics, it can lead to the need for repeated surgery.
Life-threatening and invasive versions of Strep Group A include deep-rooted skin infections, sepsis, meningitis and fatal pneumonia. (istock)
In the United States, 10 states have more than doubled annual invasive Group A Streptococcus incidents, affecting approximately 35 million Americans between 2013 and 2022, with 21,000 cases and around 2,000 deaths.
“In many ways, it’s a pandemic right in front of you,” he said of Group A Streptococcus, adding that nearly a billion people are likely to experience symptomatic diseases. From bacteria Every year.
“In fact, it causes that damage in severe life-threatening cases before a patient receives antibiotics.”
The key thing about Group A streptococci is that antibiotic resistance is not a major issue, according to doctors.
“Group A streptococci have been killed by penicillin with certainty, since 1941, when penicillin was introduced,” Osowicki pointed out.
Researchers say that nearly 20% of our children’s throats and tonsils colonize colonies. (istock)
“The point is that it actually causes that damage in severe, life-threatening cases. Patients receive antibiotics. This period is too difficult to diagnose and treatment is too late. ”
In such cases, he said the patient needs ICU, surgery, “the most intensive treatment we have to offer.”
According to Osowicki, one-quarter of the disease dies from the disease of patients over the age of 65.
The need for vaccines
Currently there is no group A streptococcus vaccine.
Though the more common form of throat throat and mild skin infections are “not scary,” Osowicki warned of the risk of overlooking a more invasive version of the disease.
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“We sometimes look away Life-threatening infections What we struggle to prevent, diagnose and treat, until these become cases of previous page sepsis that we see in the newspapers for weeks of the year ()” he said.
“They’re cases where they catch headlines. They’re like Rory Stanton in New York, and their tragic death (from sepsis in 2012) really sparked a census order across the US.”
During development there will be up to 10 group-based streptococcal vaccines. This is something that we have never seen from a completely clinical vaccine, down to the vaccines tested in phase 1 trials. (istock)
The need for an effective vaccine is clear – both invasive streptococci and the more common varieties. Osowakki and others in his group are working hard to develop them.
“All the current driving force of my research is vaccine-related,” he shared. “We do what we call a deliberately infected human challenge trial Healthy adult volunteers Apply to the tonsils with group A streptococci. And we do it very carefully in an inpatient setting. ”
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Researchers will also provide early antibiotic treatments, collecting throat swabs, blood and saliva to study how human-only pathogens work and explore ways to stop them.
“The ultimate goal is to make it a truly powerful platform. Vaccine efficacy“Osowicki said.
There are many vaccine candidates at different stages of development. From protein advant types (such as Singrix and Novavax COVID vaccines) to different types, including mRNA platforms, researchers shared.
“We are working with all vaccine companies that have group-based streptococcal vaccine candidates in development,” he said.
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During development there are up to 10 group-based streptococcal vaccines. This has never been seen from a clinical vaccine, noted, completely, that person has never seen anyone up to the vaccine tested in a phase 1 trial.
The researchers said it was “to create a vaccine the world wants, to create one that the world accepts, the world is safe and that it helps our children.”
He is especially COVID Pandemicwhich allows people to not trust emerging science.
Still, researchers are excited about the future of Streptococcus A vaccines, but expect it will take at least five to ten years for a valuable candidate to reach the doctor’s office.
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New vaccines will be equipped for adults Skin infectionmillions of children at risk for both mild and severe illness.
The goal was to “create the vaccine the world wants, the world accepts, the world is safe and that it helps our children.”
