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Background The COVID-19 pandemic has affected respiratory disease epidemiology. Measures to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (e.g., masking, social distancing, school closures) have reduced the incidence of common infectious diseases. At least one early report described changes in rates of pediatric GAS pharyngitis. We sought to determine the difference in GAS pharyngitis rates before and after the onset of the pandemic at our children’s hospital. Methods Clinical pharyngeal specimens tested for GAS by rapid antigen tests (RADTs) or LAMP methodology (loop-mediated isothermal amplification of GAS DNA) from January 2019 to March 2022 at our children’s hospital were analyzed. Clinician’s evaluating patients for GAS pharyngitis perform a RADT, when positive the patient is treated for GAS pharyngitis. When the RADT is negative, a LAMP test is performed. Patients were considered test-positive if either test was positive regardless of clinical symptoms. Annual positivity rates were compared using statistical process control (SPC) charts with both 2019 and 2020 as baseline years (i.e., 2019 vs 2020-3/2022; 2020 vs 2021-3/2022). The change in GAS incidence rate (positive patients/1000 tested) between years was assessed by chi-square tests. Results 9,896 patients had throat swabs tested for GAS from January 2019 through March 2022. Using SPC with 2019 as a baseline, there was a 15.1% decrease in mean GAS positivity through 3/2022. With 2020 as baseline, there was a 13.0% decrease in mean GAS positivity through 3/2022. The incidence of positive GAS tests decreased significantly: 2019 vs. 2020-3/2022 (x2 = 84.97, p ≤0.00001) and 2020 vs. 2021-3/2022 (x2 = 154.01, p ≤0.00001). Figure 1. Conclusion Using throat swab results, the incidence of pediatric GAS pharyngitis at our hospital has decreased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications: Pandemic-related risk mitigation measures, such as masking, social distancing, and school closures, were associated with significantly decreased incidence of GAS pharyngitis. It is likely that GAS colonization and invasive infections were also affected. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures. |
