Front Burner

Invasive strep A: what you need to know

Cases of invasive Group A strep are on the rise in Canada. What is it, and what could be behind the surge of potentially deadly bacterial infections?
A petri dish in the palm of someones hand.
Strep A bacteria in a petri dish. (Craig Chivers/CBC)

Invasive Group A strep is a rare form of infection that happens when the usually harmless bacteria invades parts of the body where it's not normally found. This can lead to complications like flesh-eating disease, meningitis and even death — and case numbers are on the rise in Canada, with 10 children dead of the disease since October.

CBC health reporter Lauren Pelley breaks down what you need to know about invasive strep A and the multiple factors that could be behind the recent surge in cases.

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