Risk Factors for Group A Streptococcal Infections
| About risk factors: Risk factors for Group A Streptococcal Infections are factors that do not seem to be a direct cause of the disease, but seem to be associated in some way. Having a risk factor for Group A Streptococcal Infections makes the chances of getting a condition higher but does not always lead to Group A Streptococcal Infections. Also, the absence of any risk factors or having a protective factor does not necessarily guard you against getting Group A Streptococcal Infections. For general information and a list of risk factors, see the risk center. |
Risk factor list: The list of risk factors mentioned for Group A Streptococcal Infections in various sources includes:
- Children
- Elementary school
- Risks for serious or invasive disease:
Risk factors discussion: Invasive disease: elderly, immunosuppressed, persons with chronic cardiac or respiratory disease, diabetes, skin lesions (i.e. children with varicella [chicken pox], intravenous drug users) African-Americans, American Indians. Noninvasive disease: children (especially elementary school age) at highest risk.1
Some strains of group A streptococci (GAS) cause severe
infection. Those at greatest risk include children with chickenpox;
persons with suppressed immune systems; burn victims; elderly
persons with cellulitis, diabetes, blood vessel disease, or cancer;
and persons taking steroid treatments or chemotherapy. Intravenous
drug users also are at high risk. Severe GAS disease may also occur
in healthy persons with no known risk factors.2
Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Group A Streptococcal (GAS) Disease: DBMD
2. excerpt from Group A Streptococcal Infections, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID
Medical Tools & Articles:
Next articles:
Medical Articles: