Sharp rise in strep infections across U.S.

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A recent CDC study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that invasive group A strep infections in the U.S. have more than doubled in recent years. This severe form of strep can cause life-threatening complications, including flesh-eating disease and organ failure. Nearly 2,000 people died from these infections between 2013 and 2022. Experts link the rise to higher rates of diabetes and obesity, increased infections among people who inject drugs, and the growing diversity of strep strains. Health officials urge early detection and treatment.

Source

Gregory CJ, Okaro JO, Reingold A, et al. Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infections in 10 US States. JAMA. 2025;333(17):1498–1507. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.0910

Additional Reading

https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/generalinfectiousdisease/114995

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/invasive-strep-infections-doubled-us-cdc-study-finds-rcna199759#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20invasive%20group,been%20stable%20for%2017%20years.

https://time.com/7276379/invasive-group-a-strep-rates-us-rising/