From January to October 2023, throughout the state of São Paulo, 31 outbreaks of scarlet fever were reported, without any deaths — one in February, one in June, one in July, nine in August, six in September, ten in October and three in November —, according to data from the São Paulo State Health Department released this week.
According to the ministry, the number is much higher than that recorded in previous years. Throughout last year, four outbreaks of the disease were recorded, also without deaths, one in September, two in October and one in November. In 2021, the only scarlet fever outbreak occurred in May.
According to the Epidemiological Surveillance Center “Prof. Alexandre Vranjac” (CVE), which coordinates epidemiological surveillance actions in the state of São Paulo, the definition of an outbreak refers to the occurrence of two or more cases that meet the definition of a suspected case in a given geographic space and related in time. Only outbreaks are reported.
For infectious disease specialist Rosana Richtmann, from Hospital e Maternidade Santa Joana (SP), this increase in incidence is not exclusive to Brazil. “This is a situation observed throughout the world. The World Health Organization has already issued a warning about the disease”, says the doctor. It is essential to keep this in mind so as not to ignore possible symptoms and thus perpetuate outbreaks, as the disease is transmissible.
The infectious disease specialist points out three possible reasons for this scenario — which may or may not work together. The first has to do with the Covid-19 pandemic. After all, as we spent a lot of time wearing a mask and respecting social isolation, we were not exposed to the bacteria that cause scarlet fever — in this way, we no longer have antibodies against it.
“The second point is that, after the pandemic, we saw an undeniable increase in respiratory viruses. And today, studies are increasingly showing that there is a kind of conspiracy between viruses and bacteria. In other words, viruses facilitate the action of bacteria. It’s a partnership relationship”, explains Rosana.
Thirdly, there is the possibility that we are facing a more virulent strain of bacteria, capable of causing a more serious condition.
Ubatuba (SP) starts charging environmental fees from tourists; see cities that require payment
noticias.r7.com
From January to October 2023, throughout the state of São Paulo, 31 outbreaks of scarlet fever were reported, without any deaths — one in February, one in June, one in July, nine in August, six in September, ten in October and three in November —, according to data from the São Paulo State Health Department released this week.
According to the ministry, the number is much higher than that recorded in previous years. Throughout last year, four outbreaks of the disease were recorded, also without deaths, one in September, two in October and one in November. In 2021, the only scarlet fever outbreak occurred in May.
According to the Epidemiological Surveillance Center “Prof. Alexandre Vranjac” (CVE), which coordinates epidemiological surveillance actions in the state of São Paulo, the definition of an outbreak refers to the occurrence of two or more cases that meet the definition of a suspected case in a given geographic space and related in time. Only outbreaks are reported.
For infectious disease specialist Rosana Richtmann, from Hospital e Maternidade Santa Joana (SP), this increase in incidence is not exclusive to Brazil. “This is a situation observed throughout the world. The World Health Organization has already issued a warning about the disease”, says the doctor. It is essential to keep this in mind so as not to ignore possible symptoms and thus perpetuate outbreaks, as the disease is transmissible.
The infectious disease specialist points out three possible reasons for this scenario — which may or may not work together. The first has to do with the Covid-19 pandemic. After all, as we spent a lot of time wearing a mask and respecting social isolation, we were not exposed to the bacteria that cause scarlet fever — in this way, we no longer have antibodies against it.
“The second point is that, after the pandemic, we saw an undeniable increase in respiratory viruses. And today, studies are increasingly showing that there is a kind of conspiracy between viruses and bacteria. In other words, viruses facilitate the action of bacteria. It’s a partnership relationship”, explains Rosana.
Thirdly, there is the possibility that we are facing a more virulent strain of bacteria, capable of causing a more serious condition.
Ubatuba (SP) starts charging environmental fees from tourists; see cities that require payment
noticias.r7.com
