Publications by authors named "Gabrielle De Crombrugghe"
Objectives: To test the prevailing dogma that Streptococcus pyogenes emm-types that cause pharyngitis are the same as those associated with the carriage, using a global dataset.
Methods: Drawing on our systematic review of the global distribution of S. pyogenes emm-types and emm-clusters from 1990 to 2023, we compared the distribution and diversity of strains associated with pharyngitis and pharyngeal carriage, in the context of local United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index (HDI) values.
Our study aimed to assess the severity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in hospitalized infants under 40 days old, across 21 Belgian hospitals between 2020 and 2022. Of the 365 infants studied, 14.2% needed respiratory support.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Streptococcus pyogenes causes more than 500 000 deaths per year globally, which occur disproportionately in low-income and middle-income countries. The roles of S pyogenes skin and pharyngeal carriage in transmission are unclear. We aimed to investigate the clinical epidemiology and household transmission dynamics of both S pyogenes asymptomatic carriage and infection in a high-burden setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGroup A Streptococcus (Strep A) bacteria causes a broad spectrum of diseases. The most common manifestations of Strep A infection are sore throat and pus-producing skin infections such as impetigo. Complications of Strep A infection can lead to inflammation in the bones, muscles, joints, and internal organs causing acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease (RHD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The diversity of strains of Streptococcus pyogenes greatly complicates the creation of vaccines against this significant global pathogen, as shown by data from 212 studies covering 55 countries from 1990 to 2023.
- A strong negative correlation was found between strain diversity and the Human Development Index, indicating that lower development levels in regions correspond to greater strain diversity, highlighting the influence of social factors on the disease.
- The research identified 15 key bacterial isolates as potential vaccine targets and emphasized that future vaccine development should address both the pathogen's diversity and the social conditions affecting different populations, rather than just focusing on geography.
Background: (StrepA) causes a significant burden of disease globally from superficial infections to invasive disease. It is responsible for over 500,000 deaths each year, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Superficial StrepA infections of the skin and pharynx can lead to rheumatic heart disease, the largest cause of StrepA-related deaths in LMIC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Immunity to Streptococcus pyogenes in high burden settings is poorly understood. We explored S. pyogenes nasopharyngeal colonization after intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) among Gambian children aged 24-59 months, and resulting serological response to 7 antigens.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSecondary prophylaxis of rheumatic heart diseases is efficient in reducing disease recurrence, heart damage, and cardiac impairment. We aimed to monitor the clinical evolution of a large Brazilian cohort of rheumatic patients under prolonged secondary prophylaxis. From 1986 to 2018, a cohort of 593 patients with rheumatic fever was followed every 6 months by the Reference Center for the Control and Prevention of Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Cardiopathy (CPCFR), Paraná, Brazil.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The concept that a minority of group A streptococcus (GAS) emm types are more "rheumatogenic" than others has been widely disseminated. We aimed to provide a comprehensive list of acute rheumatic fever-associated GAS isolates and assess the presence of associated rheumatogenic motifs.
Methods: Articles reporting GAS emm-type or emm-type-specific antibody responses associated with rheumatic fever were identified from 1 January 1944 to 31 July 2018.