Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs), characterized by extensive soft tissue destruction, are rare but life-threatening. We present a case of a NSTI in a healthy 65-year-old woman following a closed distal radius fracture. The patient presented with severe pain, fever, and lethargy 4 days after her index injury, with physical examination of the right upper limb revealing erythema and swelling to the mid-humeral level and blisters of the fingers and hand. Multiple surgical debridements were required to control the infection, which was caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. This case highlights the rapid progression and devastating consequences of NSTI, which can occur even in the setting of closed injuries in patients without comorbidities. Prompt diagnosis, early surgical intervention, and appropriate antimicrobial therapy are crucial in managing this pathology.Level of Evidence: Level 5.

Endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis (EE) is an intraocular infection with a poor prognosis. Timely diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial to prevent vision loss. In this communication, we describe a case of EE caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus [GAS]) in an HIV-positive patient with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). A 60-year-old man with a history of HIV and poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, presented with progressive blurry vision, left eye pain, redness, and headache. EE was diagnosed based on the clinical presentation and gram stain analysis of blood culture. Treatment with vitreous tap, intravitreal, topical antibiotics, and systemic antibiotics significantly improved the patient\'s symptoms. The case highlights the rarity of GAS as a causative agent of EE, particularly in patients with risk factors such as HIV infection and DM.

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) account for most antibiotic prescriptions in pediatrics. Although US guidelines continue to recommend ≥10 days antibiotics for common ARTIs, evidence suggests that 5-day courses can be safe and effective. Academic imprinting seems to play a major role in the continued use of prolonged antibiotic durations. In this report, we discuss the evidence supporting short antibiotic courses for group A streptococcal pharyngitis, acute otitis media, and acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. We discuss the basis for prolonged antibiotic course recommendations and recent literature investigating shorter courses. Prescribers in the United States should overcome academic imprinting and follow international trends to reduce antibiotic durations for common ARTIs, where 5 days is a safe and efficacious course when antibiotics are prescribed.

Necrotising fasciitis (NF) is a life-threatening bacterial infection characterised by rapid tissue destruction, which can have severe consequences if not recognised early and treated promptly. It is most commonly caused by group A streptococcus entering the body through breaks in the skin. This case report describes a patient who presented with systemic signs of infection, including right axillary pain, following a recent intramuscular injection. Clinical examination and radiological findings were consistent with NF, and surgical exploration confirmed the diagnosis of thoracic NF. The patient underwent extensive surgical debridement, intensive care management and subsequent reconstructive surgery. This report highlights the importance of early recognition of NF and that this condition is not limited to the limbs but may also affect the torso. It employs consideration of all portals of potential bacterial entry that may prompt a differential of NF through thorough history taking. This case encourages healthcare professionals to maintain awareness of skin infections as a potential though rare complication of procedures such as injections hence the continued value of aseptic techniques to minimise risk. Finally, it emphasises that prompt diagnosis, appropriate antibiotic therapy and immediate surgical intervention remain crucial in managing NF and improving patient outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Recent alerts have highlighted an increase in group A streptococcal (GAS) infections since 2022 in Europe and the United States. Streptococcus pyogenes can cause limited skin or mucosal disease, but can also present as severe invasive disease necessitating critical care. We performed a multicenter retrospective study of patients with GAS infections recently admitted to Belgian intensive care units (ICUs) since January 2022. We describe patient characteristics and investigate the molecular epidemiology of the S. pyogenes strains involved.
RESULTS: Between January 2022 and May 2023, a total of 86 cases (56 adults, 30 children) with GAS disease were admitted to critical care in the university hospitals of Leuven, Antwerp and Liège. We noted a strikingly high incidence of severe community-acquired pneumonia (sCAP) (45% of adults, 77% of children) complicated with empyema in 45% and 83% of adult and pediatric cases, respectively. Two-thirds of patients with S. pyogenes pneumonia had viral co-infection, with influenza (13 adults, 5 children) predominating. Other disease presentations included necrotizing fasciitis (23% of adults), other severe skin/soft tissue infections (16% of adults, 13% of children) and ear/nose/throat infections (13% of adults, 13% of children). Cardiogenic shock was frequent (36% of adults, 20% of children). Fifty-six patients (65%) had toxic shock syndrome. Organ support requirements were high and included invasive mechanical ventilation (77% of adults, 50% of children), renal replacement therapy (29% of adults, 3% of children) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (20% of adults, 7% of children). Mortality was 21% in adults and 3% in children. Genomic analysis of S. pyogenes strains from 55 out of 86 patients showed a predominance of emm1 strains (73%), with a replacement of the M1global lineage by the toxigenic M1UK lineage (83% of emm1 strains were M1UK).
CONCLUSIONS: The recent rise of severe GAS infections (2022-23) is associated with introduction of the M1UK lineage in Belgium, but other factors may be at play-including intense circulation of respiratory viruses and potentially an immune debt after the COVID pandemic. Importantly, critical care physicians should include S. pyogenes as causative pathogen in the differential diagnosis of sCAP.

Oxazolidinones, such as tedizolid and linezolid, are bacteriostatic antibiotics that inhibit protein synthesis. Based on the findings from animal studies and their mechanism of action, these antibiotics are considered for managing toxic shock caused by clindamycin-resistant Group A Streptococcus (GAS; Streptococcus pyogenes). However, clinical reports on their usage in such cases are limited. Herein, we report a case of a 67-year-old woman with chronic myeloid leukemia who presented with fever, facial swelling, and myalgia. She was diagnosed with cellulitis and empirically treated with meropenem. Blood culture later revealed GAS, and she was diagnosed with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. The antibiotic regimen was adjusted based on sensitivity results, with clindamycin initially replaced by linezolid and later switched to tedizolid owing to concerns about potential bone marrow suppression. Her condition improved, and she was discharged 15 days after admission. Therefore, tedizolid may be a safer option for managing toxic shock syndrome in patients with comorbidities that include thrombocytopenia.

Streptococcal infection is a common cause of acute glomerulonephritis. Cardiac damage associated with streptococcal infection commonly occurs in acute rheumatic fever. However, cases of acute non-rheumatic streptococcal myocarditis have been reported in recent years. We report a novel case of concurrent acute glomerulonephritis and non-rheumatic myocarditis following streptococcal infection. A good prognosis was achieved with antibiotic and immunosuppressive therapy, indicating that Streptococcus causes cardiorenal syndrome type 5 via an immune-mediated response. A better understanding of post-streptococcal cardiorenal syndrome is warranted to enable the early diagnosis and treatment of affected patients.

Septic arthritis is a serious condition resulting in rapid destruction of articular cartilage and potential sepsis. Bacterial invasion of a joint occurs most commonly as a result of haematogenous spread from a distant infection. However, an otogenic source of this transient bacteraemia and resultant septic arthritis has not yet been reported in the literature. We report a case of acute septic arthritis of the knee with Streptococcus pyogenes, secondary to acute otitis media of the ear.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly progressive, life-threatening soft tissue infection that needs acute surgical intervention and other types of supportive care. The upper extremities are a less frequent site for this infection than the lower extremities. Axillary necrotizing fasciitis is quite rare and bears a high risk of iatrogenic neurovascular injuries. We report a severe case of a 39-year-old man with a right axillary necrotizing fasciitis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. While dealing with important nerves and blood vessels at the initial emergency surgery, we marked and preserved them with vascular tapes. The patient underwent several surgical interventions for infection control in addition to supportive care to avoid limb loss and to survive. Intraoperatively, the locations of nerves and vessels could be easily found by checking the vessel tapes. Twelve months after the initial admission, the patient had no symptoms of nerve injuries and resumed work. With necrotizing fasciitis, the risk of an iatrogenic nerve injury exists even if limb amputation is avoided due to repeated debridement. We report that marking and preserving nerves and blood vessels with vascular tapes at the initial surgery may make the subsequent ones easier and may reduce iatrogenic neurovascular injury.

Toxic shock syndrome is a rare and life-threatening condition that is typically caused by group A Streptococcus or Staphylococcus aureus. It classically presents with fever, hypotension, sunburn-like rash, and multi-organ system failure. We describe a case of a 70-year-old male with this condition who had an atypical presentation of left chest wall pain and left shoulder pain after two mechanical falls along with hemodynamic stability. The patient rapidly deteriorated on his second hospital floor day, resulting in a higher complexity of care and management in the intensive care unit (ICU). Despite a number of resuscitative measures, therapies, and multidisciplinary care, the patient unfortunately passed away within 24 hours of his ICU care.