Infections that are spreading since the COVID-19 pandemic

The isolation caused by the pandemic not only stopped infections by COVID-19also reduced other infectionssince the schoolchildren stayed at home, the offices closed their doors and the use of a mask became an everyday thing.

However, now that the restrictions are in the past and with societies open again, infections have been on the rise, especially in babies and children experiencing their first contact with the environment.

Experts point out that these infections are getting worse or more prolific, because “the lack of mixing in children may have caused a decrease in immunity in the entire population”, it is mentioned in WEF.

Here are four diseases that are on the rise today.

streptococcus a

strep A is a type of bacteria found in the throat and on the skin “and which often causes fever and throat infections, such as strep throat or scarlet fever”, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On rare occasions it can be fatal.

In December 2022, the CDC announced an investigation into an increase in the number of cases of Streptococcus A. Meanwhile, in the UK, the current season rate is 2.3 cases per 100,000 children ages one to four, compared to an average of 0.5 in pre-pandemic seasons, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

Symptoms to look out for in infants or young children that may indicate serious illness include “irritability, difficulty waking up, high-pitched cry, refusal to eat/feed, fewer wet diapers or decreased urination, cold or mottled extremities, and shortness of breath”according to ABC News.

RSV

RSV is a common respiratory virus that causes lung and respiratory tract infections in infants under two years of age and older adults with pre-existing conditions. An estimated 60,000 to 120,000 older adults in the United States are hospitalized for RSV each year, and 6,000 to 10,000 die, according to the CDC.

Late last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported that cNearly three-quarters of children’s hospital beds in the United States were full, in part due to the rise in RSV infections.

Dr. Emily Martin, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, told the New York Times that the number of cases is rising because children protected themselves from common infections during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

“If a child is born in the summer and is exposed for the first time in the winter, they are at risk of contracting a more serious disease”he explained. “But many babies did not experience the first season of RSV at the regular time they would, particularly if they were born in or after 2020.”.

Flu

The CDC estimates that, so far this season, there have been at least 24 million illnesses, 260,000 hospitalizations, and 16,000 deaths from the flu.

The number of cases rose last year, with people reporting empty shelves in the flu section of pharmacies and grocery stores, but are now declining in most areas of the US, the CDC reports.

Antimicrobial resistance is high

In the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, an increase in drug resistance in bacteria that cause bloodstream infections, even against antibiotics of last resort, a World Health Organization report based on data from 87 countries in 2020 showed.

Overuse and/or misuse of antibiotics has contributed to microbes becoming resistant to many treatments.