Surge of strep A infections, including more dangerous type, has affected Denmark since 2022, especially in the elderly

During the 2022-2023 winter season Denmark experienced a surge in infections caused by group A streptococci (GAS), including the more dangerous, invasive types of infections (iGAS). Incidence of iGAS is highest among the elderly, but the largest relative increase from previous seasons was seen among children. The study is being presented to the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, 15-18 April), by Thor Bech Johannesen and Steen Hoffmann, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark, and colleagues.