ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — Local pediatricians are saying they’re seeing more strep throat cases in kids and also kids getting it then getting it again. Channel 11′s Alyssa Raymond is speaking with a local physician about why this is and why they believe these illnesses are surfacing during the summer months now.
Epidemiologists with the Allegheny County Health Department also confirm there seems to be an increase in cases of strep this summer.
“It could take the whole family down pretty easily,” said Mark Herleman.
Mark Herleman says his daughter recently had strep throat.
“I wouldn’t anticipate this kind of sickness in the summer,” said Herleman. “You think fall, spring, winter. Not the nicest time of the year in Pittsburgh.”
Dr. Michael Petrosky is the lead physician at AHN Pediatrics. He says they’ve seen a seasonal shift in many pediatric illnesses.
“We’re seeing a lot of things of the seasonal nature in pediatrics have shifted quite a bit since covid happened,” said Petrosky. “A lot of it had to do with masking, isolation. Not only strep but also RSV has started a whole lot earlier than we had in other seasons. Strep you can see spring, summer. Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease a lot of things that we used to see only certain times of the year we’re seeing more now so that’s why we’re trying to be as vigilant as we can.”
The Allegheny County Health Department does not track common strep throat, but it does track Group A Invasive Strep Throat. This strain of strep is caused by the same bacteria as common strep throat but can cause considerable health problems. In May 2023, there were 13 cases in kids under 18, and nine cases last month. In June of 2022, there were only three.
“Usually it’s a school-aged type thing,” said Petrosky. “Under 1, hardly see strep. Three is rare. Three and above the school-aged children you can. Once you get later adolescent adult the numbers go down quite a bit. So it’s in that 3-12 a lot. Younger teenagers, we’re seeing strep in as well.
Dr. Petrosky says he’s also seeing more kids with recurrent infections.
“It’s not always that it came back,” said Petrosky. “A lot of times you worry that you didn’t fully treat it that first time. It’s not that the bacteria is resistant to the medicine. We know strep lives in tonsils and sometimes the tissue is pretty thick so the medicine doesn’t penetrate as far as it needs to. That’s when you have to do some of the other antibacterials. Amoxicillin usually works most of the time.”
Strep can clear on its own. Petrosky says most times it does, but the reason the want to treat it is so it doesn’t escalate into rheumatic fever. He also stressed the importance of finishing an entire prescription.
“Make sure you take it for the entire duration,” said Petrosky. “We know if you don’t finish there’s still some bacteria left that can lead to resistance, and we’re worried about superbugs.”
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