Group A Streptococcus (GAS)

Group A streptococcal disease (GAS) is caused by a germ called Streptococcus pyogenes, group A. 

People who carry the germ on their skin or in their nose and throat with no signs or symptoms of infection are called carriers. 
 

GAS bacteria spreads between people: 

• Through direct contact with secretions (snot, phlegm, droplets, pus from wounds or sores) from a person who is infected with GAS, or a carrier. 
• Through respiratory droplets, when an infected person or a carrier coughs or sneezes.  

Transmission can happen when:   

• Kissing, sharing drinking cups or glasses, forks, spoons, or cigarettes. 
• Touching snot, phlegm, droplets, or pus from an infected person. 
• Touching objects recently contaminated secretions of an infected person. 
• Contact with infected wounds or sores on the skin. 

People sick with GAS can be contagious for 10 days to 3 weeks if they’re not treated. Being contagious can last much longer (weeks or months) if someone is a carrier of GAS and they don’t receive treatment.    

With antibiotic treatment, the contagious period of a person sick with GAS ends in about 24 hours

People with iGAS usually have symptoms including a fever, low blood pressure, rapid breathing and heartbeat, and don’t feel well. Children can be very sleepy or more irritable than usual.  
Other symptoms depend on the part of the body that is infected.
 

Symptoms of a deep tissue infection (“flesh-eating disease”):

• Severe pain in specific areas of the body. 
• Redness and swelling that spreads quickly.  

Symptoms of a bloodstream infection (septicemia): 

• Chills 
• Headache 
• pale skin 
• lack of energy. 

 Symptoms of septic arthritis caused by GAS:

• Fever  
• Joint pain  
• Swelling  
• Redness  
• Warmth. 

 Symptoms of meningitis caused by GAS:

• Headache 
• Stiff neck 
• Sensitivity to bright lights 
• Vomiting 
• Confusion. 

Symptoms of pneumonia caused by GAS:

• Fever
• Shortness of breath.

Symptoms of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome:

• Sudden, severe pain (often in the arm or leg) 
• Dizziness 
• Confusion 
• Feeling like you have the flu 
• Red rash over large areas of the body. 

• Very young children and babies under age 1 
• Women who are pregnant or who recently gave birth (postpartum) 
• People older than 60, or have weakened immune systems due to steroid treatment, chemotherapy, or HIV  
• People with chronic diseases (diabetes, heart or lung disease, cancer) 
• People who use injection drugs 
• People who drink alcohol heavily  
• People with skin infections or chronic wounds or ulcers (for example due to diabetic ulcers) 
• Children with chicken pox blisters 
• People who recently had surgery. 

It’s important to monitor children with skin infections, for example due to chickenpox or impetigo for iGAS symptoms.  

Go to the CMC immediately If your child has a fever longer than 3 days or repeats, or if their lesions become red, swollen or very painful.   

GAS infections including GAS pharyngitis (strep throat) are treated with antibiotics after diagnosis. Timely treatment with antibiotics is necessary to avoid complications. 
 

Invasive GAS infections require early medical treatment to reduce risks of complications and death. Most people with invasive GAS will need hospitalization. 

 
When people develop necrotizing fasciitis (“flesh-eating disease”) they need surgery to remove damaged tissue and antibiotics to stop the disease from spreading.  


Antibiotics are also offered to close contacts of people with certain severe forms of iGAS. This is to protect them from getting sick themselves.  

 

Did you know? 

Most sore throats are caused by viruses, not GAS, and don’t require antibiotics.  However, strep throat is caused by GAS and needs antibiotic treatment.  

• Stay home for a least 24 hours after starting antibiotic treatment for strep throat or impetigo
• Wash your hands frequently (before preparing food and eating, after coughing and sneezing) 
• Keep wounds clean while they heal. Wash your hands before and after cleaning and handling a cut or wound
• Watch for signs of infection (increased redness, swelling, drainage, and pain at the wound site). 
• Clean and cover wounds until they heal 
• If a cut or wound looks infected go to the CMC to have it checked, especially if you have a fever.  

There is no vaccine to prevent GAS infections. 

  
Chickenpox vaccination (varicella) can help reduce the risk of  iGAS. Talk to a doctor or nurse about it.  
 

Close contacts of people who have certain severe forms of invasive GAS infections are recommended to take antibiotics as a precaution 

In Quebec, invasive Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) infections are a mandatory reportable disease by law. This means laboratory staff and health professionals must notify Public Health authorities when they diagnose a case.  
 

Mandatory reportable diseases include infections with a risk of spreading to others and causing serious health problems.  


The CBHSSJB’s infectious diseases team receives MADO reports. They identify and notify close contacts. They also assess the need for preventive treatment (antibiotics, vaccination).   

 

The Public Health Department at the Cree Health Board also collects data about mandatory reportable diseases to better understand the frequency of infections in Eeyou Istchee.  
 

This helps identify potential outbreaks and possible risk factors that make some people more vulnerable to infection.