(WWJ) - Doctors say they are seeing a rise in cases of strep throat at some Metro Detroit hospitals.
Henry Ford Medical Center Fairlane in Dearborn thought they had faulty testing swabs but it was found that the swabs were fine, officials say.
Dr. Jennifer Stevenson, Director of the medical center’s emergency department, said the current strep throat rates are the highest she has seen in her 25 years of practicing emergency medicine.
“Strep has been the second-most common ailment bringing people to our emergency department for months now," Dr. Stevenson said. “I expect we’re going to see more and more.”
Dr. Kevin Daisy, a pediatric hospitalist with Children’s Hospital of Michigan, said they’ve seen an ongoing surge since the spring.
Dr. Daisy said that strep throat is only one kind of infection caused by strep bacteria. Strep can also cause pneumonia or a skin infection. It may also lead to more serious infections if it gets into the blood.
“We all harbor that bacteria from time to time, either in our skin or on our throats, but again it doesn’t always become an infection,” Dr. Daisy said.
It’s important for people to reach out to their doctor if they develop a rash or fever, which are usually the first signs of strep, Dr. Daisy said.
“It’s a pretty wimpy bacteria we like to say, as long as we treat it in a good amount of time,” Dr. Daisy said.
Doctors say strep is easily treated with antibiotics.