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Streptococcal infections in children
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Streptococci are the causative agents of such diverse diseases as angina, scarlet fever, rheumatism, glomerulonephritis, erysipelas, pyoderma, etc. In addition, streptococci often cause generalized processes such as septicemia and often play a leading role in the development of complications of other diseases.
ICD-10 code
- A40.0 Septicemia caused by group A streptococcus
- A40.1 Septicemia caused by group D streptococcus
- A40.3 Septicemia caused by streptococcus pnevmoniae (pneumococcal septicemia).
- A40.8 Other streptococcal septicemia.
- Streptococcal septicemia, unspecified.
Causes of Streptococcal Infections
Streptococci are gram-positive bacteria of globular or oval shape, 0.6-1 μm in diameter, arranged in pairs in the form of chains.
When grown on blood agar, colonies with a diameter of 1-2 mm are formed. Streptococci are divided by the ability to lyse erythrocytes in cups with blood agar:
- alpha-type - colonies, forming green products of the breakdown of hemoglobin within the narrow surrounding hemolysis zone;
- beta-type - colonies, forming a wide light zone of hemolysis;
- gamma-type - colonies, not giving a hemolytic effect.
The ability to hemolysis varies widely and does not always indicate pathogenicity.
Streptococcus is divided into groups of carbohydrate antigens of the cell wall. At present there are 21 groups from A to U; many of them are found in animals. Group A streptococci are beta-hemolytic, they live mainly in the upper respiratory tract of a person. The disease in humans is caused mainly by group A streptococci (Str. Pyogenes). However, in children of early age and newborns, Streptococcus group B (Str. Agalactiae) and group C (Str. Equisimilis) often cause severe sepsis, as well as endocarditis and meningitis.
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