What is Strep A and what are the symptoms? A guide to the infection. – The Washington Post

Sign in
LONDON — A rare, invasive form of a usually mild and common bacterial infection has killed several children in the United Kingdom in recent weeks, according to public health authorities, prompting alarm among parents and vulnerable adults.
There have been seven confirmed deaths in England and one in Wales caused by the Group A streptococcus bacteria, also known as Strep A, a spokesman for the U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA) told The Washington Post on Tuesday. British media say the death toll may be higher.
Strep A is highly contagious and commonly carried by many of us in our nose and throats and on our skin without resulting in serious illness, medical officials and experts say. While most cases are not life-threatening, it can develop into an infection known as invasive Group A strep (iGAS), which can be fatal, with the risk greatest among children and the elderly.
Here’s what you need to know.

source