PRO/EDR> Streptococcus, group A – Canada (05): (ON) fatal, under-housed, IDU, comment

Strep — Canada
The strains associated with the under-housed/PWID [people who inject drugs] are emm types 74 and 81. There are 12 different emm-types in the community (emm1 is most common, about 10 cases) with no common epi-links, spread over time and place.

Dr Barry Pakes MD, MPH, CCFP, FRCPC, PhD
Dr Gayane Hovhannisyan MD, MPH, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Medical Officers of Health
Middlesex London Health Unit
London, Ontario
Canada

[ProMED-mail thanks Dr Barry Pakes and Dr Gayane Hovhannisyan for