This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Tyrrell, G. J.
Right arrow Articles by Grimsrud, K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Tyrrell, G. J.
Right arrow Articles by Grimsrud, K.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2005, p. 1678-1683, Vol. 43, No. 4
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.4.1678-1683.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Invasive Group A Streptococcal Disease in Alberta, Canada (2000 to 2002)

Gregory J. Tyrrell,1,2* Marguerite Lovgren,2 Bertha Kress,3 and Karen Grimsrud3

The Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, The University of Alberta,1 The National Centre for Streptococcus, The Provincial Laboratory for Public Health (Microbiology),2 Alberta Health and Wellness, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada3

Received 30 September 2004/ Accepted 3 December 2004

Invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) disease was placed under surveillance in Alberta in August 1999. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence rates of iGAS infections throughout Alberta over a 3-year period (2000 to 2002) and to better understand the epidemiology of iGAS in this province. There were a total of 441 cases of invasive GAS disease over the 3 years examined (average population over 3 years, 3,055,765) and 47 deaths. The incidence in Alberta was 5.0 (2000), 5.7 (2001), and 3.8 (2002) per 100,000. The two main metropolitan regions (Edmonton and Calgary) had the majority of iGAS disease cases (305 cases), producing incidence rates of 4.8 (Edmonton) and 6.9 (Calgary) in 2000, 6.9 (Edmonton) and 6.6 (Calgary) in 2001, and 4.1 (Edmonton) and 3.9 (Calgary) in 2002, as well as deaths attributable to GAS (31 deaths). The three most prevalent M types were M1 (71 cases), M3 (52 cases), and MPT2967 (44 cases). With respect to age, the highest incidence rates occurred in those less than 1 year old (11.7 per 100,000) and those 65 years or older (11.5 per 100,000). Varicella virus infection preceded iGAS disease in 25% of children 8 years of age and under. A seasonal association was observed during the 3 years studied, with the highest number of cases occurring in the winter months and the lowest occurring during the summer months. The data for years 2000 and 2001 show that the metropolitan regions of Alberta experienced some of the highest incidence rates reported in North America in the past decade.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: 2B3.13 Walter Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2R7. Phone: (780) 407-8949. Fax: (780) 407-3864. E-mail: g.tyrrell{at}provlab.ab.ca.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2005, p. 1678-1683, Vol. 43, No. 4
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.4.1678-1683.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Luca-Harari, B., Darenberg, J., Neal, S., Siljander, T., Strakova, L., Tanna, A., Creti, R., Ekelund, K., Koliou, M., Tassios, P. T., van der Linden, M., Straut, M., Vuopio-Varkila, J., Bouvet, A., Efstratiou, A., Schalen, C., Henriques-Normark, B., the Strep-EURO Study Group, , Jasir, A. (2009). Clinical and Microbiological Characteristics of Severe Streptococcus pyogenes Disease in Europe. J. Clin. Microbiol. 47: 1155-1165 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Siljander, T., Lyytikainen, O., Vahakuopus, S., Saila, P., Jalava, J., Vuopio-Varkila, J. (2009). Rapid Emergence of emm84 among Invasive Streptococcus pyogenes Infections in Finland. J. Clin. Microbiol. 47: 477-480 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lamagni, T. L., Darenberg, J., Luca-Harari, B., Siljander, T., Efstratiou, A., Henriques-Normark, B., Vuopio-Varkila, J., Bouvet, A., Creti, R., Ekelund, K., Koliou, M., Reinert, R. R., Stathi, A., Strakova, L., Ungureanu, V., Schalen, C., the Strep-EURO Study Group, , Jasir, A. (2008). Epidemiology of Severe Streptococcus pyogenes Disease in Europe. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 2359-2367 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Creti, R., Imperi, M., Baldassarri, L., Pataracchia, M., Recchia, S., Alfarone, G., Orefici, G. (2007). emm Types, Virulence Factors, and Antibiotic Resistance of Invasive Streptococcus pyogenes Isolates from Italy: What Has Changed in 11 Years?. J. Clin. Microbiol. 45: 2249-2256 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»