Following the news that, amid rising cases and deaths nationally, antibiotics could be administered prophylactically in UK schools with cases of streptococcus A (Strep A);

Fiona Chisholm, Associate Director at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers her view:

“Health officials are under increased pressure to curb inappropriate use of antibiotics and rarely give the green light for the administration of antibiotics to children with no obvious signs of infection. This shows the seriousness of the Strep A situation in the UK. That being said, children with Strep A generally respond well to antibiotics such as penicillin. If used responsibly, these drugs currently represent the most effective tools for containing further outbreaks.

“Concerns relating to antibiotic use also highlight the need for a prophylactic vaccine for this common disease. Although Strep A is often asymptomatic or associated with mild symptoms such as sore throats and rashes, it can progress to invasive Group A Streptococcal disease (iGAS) in rare cases. This is a potentially fatal condition in which bacteria invade tissues such as the lungs or bloodstream. Globally, Strep A kills over half a million people each year, but the emergence of safe, effective, and cost-effective vaccines could reduce this significantly.

“Significant strides are being made in this field of research, with a vaccine candidate being developed by researchers at Griffith University, Australia. The vaccine was created by combining two molecules found on every strain of Strep A, hoping that this may boost effectiveness against all strains. A Phase I trial that aims to recruit 10 to 20 patients was launched last month under a collaboration with the University of Alberta, Canada.”