Enhanced Surveillance for Detection of Jail-Associated Invasive Group A Streptococcus Transmission—Minnesota, 2017–2023
- Presentation Day/Time: Friday, April 24, 10:05 AM
- Presenter: Emily Silva, PhD, SM, Minnesota Department of Health
The Issue
- Group A Streptococcus (GAS) transmission typically occurs in crowded settings, and risk for severe infection increases among persons with wounds, who inject drugs, or who are unhoused. Confinement facilities (e.g., jails) prioritize space efficiency and might lack infection prevention staff. Detained populations often have increased risks for severe GAS infection.
What We Did
- We enhanced invasive GAS (iGAS) surveillance to identify potential clusters associated with Minnesota jail facilities. Adults with iGAS during 2017–2023 were matched with 2016–2023 Statewide Supervision System data to identify jail detentions three or fewer months before infection.
What We Found
- Among 2,271 iGAS patients, 108 had jail stays three or fewer months before infection. Among patients with jail stays, 48 had cellulitis, 49 had recent injection drug use, and 32 were unhoused when they were diagnosed with iGAS.
What This Means
- Despite finding limited jail-associated iGAS transmission, 5% of Minnesota iGAS patients had recent jail stays. Providing education and wound care materials in jails could prevent invasive infections among historically hard-to-reach populations.
