Group A strep infections are beginning to rise across the United States as children settle back into classrooms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a Sept. 18 update. Emergency department data show an uptick in visits for strep throat and scarlet fever, two common illnesses caused by the same bacteria.
The rise is expected. The CDC notes that group A strep reports are typically lowest in summer and start increasing as children return to school, with respiratory infections most common in winter and early spring. For parents, the season of sore throats and school absences is starting now.
