“Flesh-eating” bacteria: “In 95% of cases, it causes benign conditions”, reassures Professor Loubet, infectious disease specialist from Nîmes

With 517 cases of invasive infections in three months, GAS, a group A streptococcus bacteria, is causing panic in Japan, leading to the cancellation of a World Cup qualifying match. football 2026. Most of the time harmless, it can turn out to be a formidable "flesh eater". It has already occurred in France. Should we be worried? Professor Loubet, infectious disease specialist in Nîmes, deciphers the truth/false on the micro-organism.

Prof. Paul Loubet is head of the infectious diseases department at Nîmes University Hospital.

Professor Paul Loubet distinguishes colonization from infection. DR

Should we be afraid of the "flesh-eating bacteria" ?

It is a streptococcus A, a bacterium most of the time not very pathogenic, which lodges either on the skin or in the oropharyngeal sphere, causing benign infections in children. as in adults.

But it happens to pass under the skin and it then causes dermatitis. It’is most of the time at the level of the legs.

Under the skin, it can destroy tissues, leading to necrotizing fasciitis, this is relatively rare but the situation then requires surgical treatment in the emergency room, sometimes a stay in intensive care , antibiotic therapy…

In the most serious cases, we can go as far as toxic shock: the bacteria releases toxins which cause an inflammatory reaction in all organs.

But once again, in 95% of cases, the bacteria causes benign conditions.

So you're not worried ?

No, the situation is being monitored by learned societies.

Have you ever been confronted with a patient in a critical situation due to Streptococcus A ?

Never. 

What makes the situation change??

Because treatment for a patient is too late, because we are weakened by age, illness, cancer, because we are weakened by age, illness, cancer, we are in the presence of a particular strain.

"With wearing a mask, our immune system did not work to protect us"

How is it transmitted?

Human to human, by air. To protect yourself, you must wear a surgical mask. It is also the diligent wearing of a mask, during the Covid years, which could explain why we find ourselves today exposed to the irruption of this problem, our immune system does not survive. #39;didn't "work" to protect us. It’is a problem in Japan today, but we had the same phenomenon in France in December 2022 ((Editor's note: the general directorate of health had alerted on the situation. In the first quarter of 2023, 1,152 serious cases were recorded in France, ten times more than in the first quarter of 2022).

And it’s still the same phenomenon that could explain why we had a resurgence of other bacteria, mycoplasma, in France, last fall, after an outbreak in China, where the use of medications could lead to resistance.

Streptococcus A is not a resistant bacteria…

No, it is sensitive to amoxicillin, but you have to be wary of the resistance that certain strains could acquire.

She's the "meanest" bacteria ?

No, there are more invasive ones! And we must not forget Staphylococcus aureus…

"Bacteria are everywhere in our body"

Is there a risk, with global warming, of unknown, potentially dangerous bacteria appearing ?

There are no great discoveries.

I remind you that this one is an "old" bacterium. We've known her for a long time.

Unlike viruses, there are "good" bacteria…

Yes, and bacteria are everywhere in our bodies. To take the example of the intestinal microbiota, it is rich in more than 7000 strains of bacteria without which we could not live… 

The "colonization" from the body by bacteria is not a problem. The problem, revealed by symptoms (fever, cough, etc.), can only arise when there is an infection. 

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