# 5225
During the winter - when influenza rates rise - so often do the rates of serious bacterial infections, such as meningococcal disease and co-infections by Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus), Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae.
These complications may beset otherwise healthy flu patients, who are not normally considered at greater risk of severe illness from the virus.
In recent days, the British press has carried a number of stories of patients severely ill, or even succumbing, to some of these complications.
Meningococcal disease often appears first as a flu-like illness, which can make it very difficult to differentiate it from a garden variety influenza-like-illness (ILI).
Accordingly, a letter from Dame Sally Davies, the Department of Health’s interim chief medical officer, has reminded GPs to be cognizant of ‘an increase in a number of significant bacterial infections that may occur as co-infections with flu.’
A notice appears on the Pulse Today website, with a brief description of the letter’s contents.
GPs warned over bacterial co-infection in flu
12 Jan 11
By Lilian Anekwe
GPs are being warned of soaring rates of bacterial infections occurring in people with flu this season.
