Aim: Group A streptococcus (GAS) pharyngitis is a common clinical infection with significant morbidity but remains understudied. Materials & methods: We sought to assess the rates of testing and incidence of GAS pharyngitis in Calgary, Alberta based on age and sex. Results: A total of 1,074,154 tests were analyzed (58.8% female, mean age 24.8 years) of which 16.6% were positive. Age-standardized testing and positivity was greatest in the 5–14 years age group and lowest in persons over 75 years. Females had greater rates of testing and positivity throughout. Testing rates (incidence rate ratios: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.39–1.41) and case rates (incidence rate ratios: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.33–1.39) increased over time. Conclusion: Future studies should focus on evaluating disparities in testing and treatment outcomes to optimize the approach to this infection.

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Vol. 16, No. 14

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Received 17 March 2021

Accepted 10 August 2021

Published online 1 September 2021

Published in print September 2021

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Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The study was approved by the Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (CHREB), Alberta Health Services and the University of Calgary (REB15-0629).

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