STREPTOCOCCAL MYOSITIS IN CHILDREN - 4 CA SE-REPORTS

We report about four children, who suffered from myositis caused by be ta-hemolytic group A streptococci (GAS). The cases were observed durin g the last 12 months, and differed much in severity. Soft tissue infec tions caused by GAS are reported with increasing frequency from the US A, Australia and Europe. They occur in hitherto healthy children and y oung adults, mostly without a predisposing trauma. In children, a prec eding varicella infection is often found. Some patients develop a stre ptococcal toxic shock syndrome with a letality of 20-50%. The bacteria , which can be isolated from normally sterile body sites, are morpholo gically inconspicuous, and are mostly of the serological type M1 or M3 .