iSpy Explore

Secondary Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infection After Prophylaxis Policy Change This cohort study estimates the risk of invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS) before and after the implementation of a policy in the Netherlands that expanded antibiotic prophylaxis to household conta...

📣 What is the impact of expanded antibiotic prophylaxis during an iGAS surge? Read it in our new publication: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
By expanding antibiotic prophylaxis to household contacts of all iGAS patients, secondary household infections were reduced by 83%.

New Year's 2026 Party and this year's Lab T-Shirt

Evaluating clinical decision rules and rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngitis in Gambian children: a diagnostic accuracy study Accurate diagnosis of Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) pharyngitis is imperative in high rheumatic heart disease-burden countries. We aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of two rapid diagnosti...

Latest from @mrcunitgambia.bsky.social #StrepA group. Show clinical decision rules developed elsewhere (mostly HIC) have poor performance in Gambia & molecular tests detect far more #StrepA than culture. Given burden of RhD in Africa we urgently need better & affordable tests for #StrepA diagnosis

Definitely worth a read and raises all sorts of questions about how quickly we become vulnerable as a population if we aren’t immune/immunised.👇

🧵 Our paper out today in @naturemedicine.bsky.social

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon

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#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.

Our latest work used Phip-Seq to explore the autoantibody repertoire in rheumatic fever ➡️ saw evidence of epitope spreading and identified a new disease associated antigen with biomarker potential 🧪
Great collaboration with MSSM and led by @rhcmcg.bsky.social and @laurencarlton.bsky.social at UoA

Dog ownership during adolescence alters the microbiota and improves mental health Microbiome; Psychology

This paper has everything I could wish for in a scientific insight!

Puppy ➡️ Strep ➡️ Happiness

Dog ownership in adolescents was associated with fewer social problems and altered gut microbiota. Notably, a Streptococcus ASV correlated with sociability in both adolescents and ex-germ-free mice.

New @plosbiology.org paper from Sumedha Ravishankar, PhD and the Cressida Madigan Lab applies the powerful and optically transparent zebrafish embryo model to study group B streptococcal transit of the blood-brain barrier.

Beautiful time-lapse confocal microscopy!

journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...

Immunity to Streptococcus pyogenes and Common Respiratory Viruses at Age 0-4 Years after COVID-19 restrictions: A Cross-Sectional Study Importance The upsurge in invasive disease caused by Streptococcus pyogenes among children reported in several European countries during 2022-2023 has not been fully explained. Objective To test the ...

Why did invasive #strepA infections increase in young children after the pandemic?

In this new @imperialinfect.bsky.social PREPRINT *not peer-reviewed* we look at antibody responses to #strepA and resp viruses in European children before and after the pandemic:

www.medrxiv.org/cgi/content/...

New preprint alert 🚨

My team and I are pleased to share our most recent story about how bacterial pathogen (Streptococcus pyogenes, Strep A) exposure induces antibody responses against glycan and protein antigens.

For paper: SSRN ssrn.com/abstract=519...
biorxiv : doi: doi.org/10.1101/2025...

Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infections in 10 US States This population-based surveillance study investigates trends in the incidence, characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and outcomes of invasive group A Streptococcus infections among individuals in 10 US states.

From 2013 to 2022, invasive group A Streptococcus infections increased in 10 US states, with higher incidence among older adults, American Indian or Alaska Native persons, and vulnerable groups. https://ja.ma/3G9OPT2

Rheumatic heart disease arises from repeated Group A Strep infections, leading to autoimmune heart damage. New research advances knowledge of its progression, offering hope for better interventions.

Review by Adrien Lupieri et al, LeDucq Foundation PRIMA Network

www.frontiersin.org/journals/car...

🔥❤️‍🔥🔥❤️‍🔥 #LISSSD25 in Brisbane. Get in line (in pairs or chains) and get moving on your abstracts (open NOW).

if your research relates to any -ology of catalase negative Gram + cocci (starts with Strep*) with an impact on human health - you belong at #LISSSD25!!!!

www.lisssd2025.org/abstract-sub...

Abstract submission extended 72h until Wed Feb 5th 1159 pm 🇦🇺 EDT. >300 abstracts submitted so far! Get yours in! mailchi.mp/f0e900990ac5...

Decline of antibodies to major viral and bacterial respiratory pathogens during the COVID-19 pandemic Antibodies to respiratory syncytial virus and Group A Streptococcus waned significantly in a longitudinal cohort throughout the pandemic. This waning may h

Following relaxation of #COVID19 restrictions surges in infections from respiratory pathogens like RSV and #StrepA have been seen in many countries including Aotearoa New Zealand.
Did waning immunity contribute? We explored this concept in our latest work, see 🧵 academic.oup.com/jid/advance-...

Description Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities ment...

📣Research Technician job alert! Needed to support our #iSpyLIFE field work and #strep biobanking. www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...

INVASIVE GROUP A STREP HAS BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME

Hippocrates
5th century BC
EPIDEMICS III

“Early in the spring—at the same time as the cold snaps which occurred—were many malignant cases of erysipelas, some from a known exciting cause and some not. Many died—and many suffered pain in the throat”

Hey Group A Strep Fans

New in Nature Communications from Di Tang in Johan Malmström Lab in Lund Sweden

Streptolysin O binds plasminogen, inducing conformational shifts that enhance plasminogen activation, revealing a conserved role beyond its cytolytic activity!

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngitis elicits diverse antibody responses to key vaccine antigens influenced by the imprint of past infections Nature Communications - Streptococcus pyogenes is a deadly bacteria without a vaccine. Here, researchers measured antibodies in serum and saliva from a strep throat human challenge trial. Baseline...

This #StrepA paper was a LONG labour of love from a great team 😊 Equal first & senior author credits buried at the very end, so I want to highlight the critical contributions of Dr Hannah Frost & @njmoreland.bsky.social & Dr Danika Hill @precisionvaxlab.bsky.social rdcu.be/d2gBV

We're live! The iSPY Explore Network is on a mission to uncover immune correlates of streptococcal infection. Join us on this exciting journey of discovery! #StrepResearch #iSPYExplore #UCSanDiego