GROUP-A STREPTOCOCCAL BACTEREMIAS IN DENMARK 1987-89

A retrospective study of laboratory-verified cases of Groups A Strepto coccal bacteraemias in Denmark was conducted for the period 1987-1989 after a sudden increase occurred during the winter 1988-1989. The aim of the study was to describe the epidemiology in the period and to com pare cases during the outbreak period with cases in a period with a ba seline risk. Based on isolates, a total of 242 cases in 240 patients w ere included in the study and information on previous health of the pa tients, source of infection (community-acquired or nosocomial) and out come were obtained from hospital records. During the epidemic period t he total incidence increased three-fold. Tile frequency of type 1 incr eased from 1 in 5 to 1 in 2. The number of previously healthy individu als falling ill with type 1 increased 25-fold. The relative increase w as higher among patients with community-acquired infection than among patients with nosocomial infection. The lethality rate was 48% during the epidemic in which 38% of the cases occurred. As early diagnosis an d treatment are the two most important measures to prevent serious out come, effectiveness and timeliness of surveillance systems ala of extr eme importance.