Invasive bacterial infections in 2022. Summary of surveillance data from the Epibac network.

Published on 5 March 2024

Key points

In mainland France

In 2022, a marked increase in incidence was observed compared to 2021 for invasive infections caused by airborne and/or contact-transmitted bacteria: Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Streptococcus pyogenes. This resurgence, which followed the lifting of COVID-19 public health measures, began in August 2022 for Streptococcus pyogenes infections and in October 2022 for infections caused by the other three bacterial species mentioned. Incidence rates were unusually high in December 2022 for all of these conditions, though annual rates across all age groups remained generally lower than or close to those recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, certain age groups showed rates higher than those observed before the pandemic:
- among children under ten years of age for Streptococcus pyogenes, with a level higher than what has been estimated since the implementation of this surveillance;
- among children under two years of age for Haemophilus influenzae.
A stabilization in the incidence of invasive Streptococcus agalactiae infections;
An increase in the incidence of invasive Listeria monocytogenes infections.

	2021		2022		2021–2022
	Incidence/100 ,000 population	[95% CI]	Incidence per 100,000 population	[95% CI]	Incidence ratio	[95% CI]	p
Haemophilus influenzae	0.9	[0.9–1.0]	1.6	[1.5–1.6]	1.69	[1.64–1.76]	0.000
Neisseria meningitidis*	0.2	[0.2–0.2]	0.5	[0.5–0.5]	2.86	[2.67–3.05]	0.000
Streptococcus pneumoniae	4.8	[4.7–4.9]	7.6	[7.5–7.7]	1.58	[1.56–1.62]	0.000
Streptococcus pyogenes	1.4	[1.4–1.5]	3.2	[3.1–3.2]	2.25	[2.17–2.33]	0.000
Streptococcus agalactiae	4.6	[4.5–4.7]	4.6	[4.5–4.6]	1.00	[0.97–1.02]	0.461
Listeria monocytogenes*	0.6	[0.6–0.7]	0.8	[0.7–0.7]	1.17	[1.11–1.24]	0.016

* Regional epidemiological data derived from mandatory reporting of invasive infections caused by Neisseria meningitidis and Listeria monocytogenes are available on the Santé publique France website: Invasive meningococcal infections and Listeriosis.

In the French overseas departments and regions (excluding Mayotte)

In 2022, levels were generally comparable to those before the pandemic.
French Guiana had the highest incidence rates for invasive infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pyogenes. Incidence rates for invasive infections caused by Streptococcus agalactiae remained higher across all DROMs (excluding Mayotte) compared to mainland France, particularly in Guadeloupe and Martinique.