A disease caused by a rare tissue-damaging bacteria is spreading in Japan after the country eased COVID-era restrictions.
The number of cases of Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS) this year reached 977 as of June 2, surpassing the record 941 cases reported last year, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, which has been tracking the disease’s incidence since 1999 .
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) typically causes swelling and sore throat in children, known as ‘strep throat’, but some types of bacteria can cause symptoms to develop quickly, including pain and swelling in the extremities, fever and low blood pressure, which can be monitored . due to necrosis, respiratory problems, organ failure and death. People over 50 are more susceptible to the disease.
At the current rate of infections, the number of cases in Japan could reach 2,500 this year, with a mortality rate of 30%,” said Ken Kikuchi, professor of infectious diseases at Tokyo Women’s Medical University.
“Most deaths happen within 48 hours,” Kikuchi said. “Once a patient notices swelling in (their) foot in the morning, it can spread to the knee by the afternoon and they can die within 48 hours.”
Other countries have experienced recent outbreaks. By the end of 2022, at least five European countries reported to the World Health Organization an increase in cases of invasive group A streptococcal disease (iGAS), which also includes STSS. The WHO said the rise in cases followed the end of COVID-19 restrictions.
Kikuchi urged people to maintain hand hygiene and treat any open wounds. He said patients could carry GAS in their intestines, which could contaminate their hands through feces.
