No antibiotics for strep, pediatricians on alert

A violent streptococcus epidemic has been going on among children for three months now, but the antibiotic is no longer available in the pharmacy. Pediatricians are sounding the alarm.

It has been at least since February that there have been dozens and dozens of streptococcus infections between kindergartens and nursery schools, so much so that the health authorities have asked doctors to swab tests to monitor the situation. Only that amoxicillin, the antibiotic that best responds to the infection, has been missing for a few weeks.

There are dozens of infections in schools

“The situation is serious because strep circulates in early childhood with great force, we have been seeing several cases every day for months – explains the pediatrician Roberta Marzorati – Never so many for forty years. About half of the swabs we make are positive. Amoxicillin is a requirement, it is the most suitable antibiotic. We can resort to a associated drug, but not everyone tolerates it. Otherwise we just have to use another antibiotic, a stronger weapon, which however would be good to reserve for particular bronchopneumonia or important ear infections».

Streptococcal infection is not that serious, it may not even give symptoms, but sometimes it causes very different problems, starting from high fever and vomiting. Complications are rare, it can affect the kidneys and give way to scarlet fever.

The Italian Society of Pediatrics, the Italian Federation of Pediatric Doctors and the Cultural Association of Pediatricians intervened in the case. The appeal is addressed to the government and the Italian Medicines Agency.

Shortages of some medicines have persisted for months

«We know that the problem of the shortage of drugs, including amoxicillin, is worldwide – the paediatricians specify – we are aware of the various and complex steps necessary to get a drug on the market, which pass from the production of the active packaging, up to its marketing, steps that often take place in different countries. However, the availability of medicines declared essential should be ensured not only in production, but also in distribution”.

“The shortage of some medicines has persisted for months – he says Giuseppe Of Philippis, president of the Order of Pharmacists of Como – if you invest in generic sore throat tablets we can take advantage of many other solutions. But if it concerns fundamental principals such as amoxicillin, one of the most common and most used antibiotics in childhood, then the problem becomes of no small importance. The lack of medicines has been said to be due to the shortage of materials at an international level, blisters, caps and bottles are not found. But in this case the production of the active ingredient is precisely missing. Our peninsula has now become completely dependent on supplies from very distant countries ».

In recent weeks in Como, not even do-it-yourself swabs were found in the pharmacy to diagnose streptococcal infection at home. Many mothers, not wanting to wait for pediatricians, have purchased these aids.