Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Syst Rev. 2021 Mar 31;10(1):90. doi: 10.1186/s13643-021-01641-5.
Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity globally. This bacterium is responsible for a range of different infections and post-infectious sequelae. Summarising the current knowledge of Strep A transmission to humans will address gaps in the evidence and inform prevention and control strategies. The objective of this study is to evaluate the modes of transmission and attack rates of group A streptococcal infection in human populations.
This systematic review protocol was prepared according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 Statement. Using a comprehensive search strategy to identify any transmission studies that have been published in English since 1980, full-text articles will be identified and considered for inclusion against predefined criteria. We will include all studies reporting on Strep A transmission, who have identified a mode of transmission, and who reported attack rates. Risk of bias will be appraised using an appropriate tool. Our results will be described narratively and where feasible and appropriate, a meta-analysis utilizing the random-effects model will be used to aggregate the incidence proportions (attack rates) for each mode of transmission. In addition, we will also evaluate the emm genotype variants of the M protein causing Strep A infection and the association with transmission routes and attack rates, if any, by setting, socioeconomic background and geographical regions.
We anticipate that this review will contribute to elucidating Strep A modes of transmission which in turn, will serve to inform evidence-based strategies including environmental health activities to reduce the transmission of Strep A in populations at risk of severe disease.
Systematic review registration: PROSPERO ( CRD42019138472 ).
A 组链球菌（Strep A）是全球范围内导致死亡率和发病率的重要原因。这种细菌可引起一系列不同的感染和感染后后遗症。总结目前对人类 A 组链球菌传播的认识，将填补证据空白，并为预防和控制策略提供信息。本研究的目的是评估人类人群中 A 组链球菌感染的传播方式和发病率。
本系统评价方案按照 2015 年系统评价和荟萃分析首选报告项目（PRISMA-P）声明编制。采用全面的搜索策略，以确定自 1980 年以来以英文发表的任何传播研究，将确定并考虑符合预设标准的全文文章是否纳入。我们将纳入所有报告 A 组链球菌传播模式且报告发病率的研究。使用适当的工具评估偏倚风险。我们的结果将以叙述性方式描述，如果可行和适当，将使用随机效应模型进行荟萃分析，以汇总每种传播方式的发病率（发病率）。此外，我们还将评估导致 A 组链球菌感染的 M 蛋白的 emm 基因型变异体与传播途径和发病率之间的关系（如果有），具体取决于环境、社会经济背景和地理区域。
我们预计，本次审查将有助于阐明 A 组链球菌的传播方式，从而为基于证据的策略提供信息，包括环境卫生活动，以减少高危人群中 A 组链球菌的传播。
系统评价注册：PROSPERO（CRD42019138472）。
