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Many parents across the United States are committed to caring for sick children. In addition to the coronavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus outbreaks, doctors say cases of strep throat are also on the rise.
data The number of streptococcal infections has been steadily increasing in the United States since August, with the majority of cases occurring in children between the ages of 4 and 12. shortage A particular form of amoxicillin, an antibiotic commonly used to treat bacterial infections, complicates matters.
Amoxicillin powder, which is mixed to make a liquid formulation of the antibiotic commonly used in children, will be in short supply starting October 2022 due to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration drug shortage. database is shown.
The FDA has acknowledged the impact of the shortage, but stressed that it cannot force drug companies to increase production.
“Four manufacturers are continuing to produce and sell amoxicillin powder for oral suspension, which was in short supply due to increased demand last fall, and are working to fully recover from the shortage. “We will continue to update our website as we provide supplies and provide any assistance businesses need to increase supply,” the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.
Not all manufacturers of amoxicillin powder have disclosed the reasons for the shortage. Most companies are still producing antibiotics, but customers can only order limited quantities because of quotas.
Amoxicillin was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in the country in 2021, with 129 prescriptions filled per 1,000 people, according to the CDC. data is shown. According to a 2022 report from the United States Pharmacopeia, antibiotics such as amoxicillin are 42% more likely to be in short supply than other types of drugs.
Amoxicillin capsules and tablets are not on the shortage list, but experts say they are not a good option for young children who often have trouble swallowing tablets, especially if they have a sore throat.
Alternative antibiotics may not be appropriate treatment for other reasons.
“All group A streptococci are susceptible to amoxicillin. The same is not true for erythromycin and azithromycin, which are sometimes used as substitutes for amoxicillin. Some group A streptococci are resistant to these antibiotics. ” said Dr. Christina Bryant, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville.
“Typically, kids can take it without any problems, and there are very few side effects. They tolerate it well,” she said of amoxicillin, adding that the alternatives don’t taste as good as the bubblegum-flavored liquid version.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anyone can get strep throat, but it is most common in children between the ages of 5 and 15. The infection season usually lasts from December until April, peaking in February.
Diagnoses of streptococcal infections are most common in children ages 4 to 8, according to data from Epic Research, owned by healthcare software company Epic. In this group, the proportion of medical visits due to streptococcal infections typically remains less than 5% at the peak of the season. But this year, it jumped to more than 8% in early March.
This rate hit its lowest point in early August and is slowly starting to increase again as children return to school. For the week of October 21st, just over 4% of 4- to 8-year-olds in the United States According to Epic’s data, he visited a medical facility with a streptococcal infection.
Dr. Jennifer Stevenson, director of the emergency department at Fairlane Henry Ford Medical Center in Dearborn, Michigan, said she’s seeing a significant amount of streptococcal infections this year, even during the summer. Ta.
“There is no doubt that the incidence of strep throat infections is increasing,” she noted. “In fact, since March, strep throat has been the second most common diagnosis in emergency departments, which is unusual.”
In April, analysis Overall, Epic Research showed that: Incidences of streptococcal pharyngitis have increased by nearly 30% since their previous peak in February 2017, after dropping significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The precautions many people took to protect themselves from COVID-19, such as wearing masks and social distancing, also protected them from strep throat.
“We expect to see more and more streptococcal infections going forward. And as we continue to look at these numbers, I think you’ll see that they’re higher than they were last year,” Stevenson said.
Bryant said it’s difficult to predict trends in childhood strep infections in the coming months because the CDC doesn’t track these cases like it does with COVID-19 or the flu..
“Streptococcal pharyngitis is a common infection, and we know the number of cases is increasing every year,” she says. “This is a very common infection. There’s no need to chase strep throat.”
Streptococcal pharyngitis is an infection of the throat and tonsils caused by bacteria called group A streptococcus. According to the CDC, symptoms often include fever, sore throat, pain when swallowing, and red and swollen tonsils. Less commonly, some people also have headaches, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
The bacteria usually lodges in the throat and is spread through respiratory droplets or direct contact, such as drinking from the same cup used by an infected person.
To confirm a group A streptococcus infection, health care providers typically take a throat culture or use a rapid antigen detection test, according to . CDC. Rapid test results take about 15 minutes, but it may take him two to three days to get throat culture results.
If someone tests positive for strep throat, a doctor will prescribe an antibiotic, such as amoxicillin. Antibiotics usually stop being infectious after about 24 hours, but it’s important to continue taking your prescribed medications even after you start to feel better.
Bryant said some children get multiple streptococcal infections in a year, so the drugs may not seem to be working.
“We saw some kids like that in the spring. They aired multiple episodes back-to-back.” However, she said, “bacteria suddenly became resistant to antibiotics. “As a result, streptococcal infections have not increased.”
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If your child’s strep throat doesn’t get better with antibiotics, Dr. Bryant says, other bacteria in the throat may be making the antibiotics less effective. According to the CDC, your child may also be a streptococcus carrier. If so, please consult your doctor for further treatment.
According to the CDC, there is no vaccine to prevent infection. Parents should encourage their children to wash their hands regularly at school and cover their mouths when coughing.
Dr. Stevenson says if your child has been prescribed amoxicillin and you can’t find it at your local pharmacy, ask your doctor for an alternative drug instead of leaving the infection untreated. .
“If a strep infection is not treated, the person can be infected with strep for several weeks,” she says. “Another problem with not completely treating these infections is that you give those tiny bacteria a chance to develop resistance to the antibiotics they’re exposed to.”
CNN’s Deidre McPhillips and Brenda Goodman contributed to this report.