The number of cases involving a rare but serious type of bacterial infection hit a record 941 in Japan last year, with health authorities urging people to take basic preventative measures such as hand-washing and caring for wounds.
Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), most often caused by the bacteria called group A streptococcus, was first reported in Japan in 1992. Since then, an average of 100 to 200 confirmed cases have been reported annually, but the number for 2023 topped the previous record of 894 cases in 2019, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID).
STSS is often dubbed the ¡°flesh-eating disease,¡± as it can cause necrosis of connective tissues covering the muscles in serious cases.
People of all ages can be infected, but STSS is more common among people age 30 or over, the NIID says, noting that the mortality rate of those who develop STSS is 30%.
Most people with strep infection do not develop symptoms. If they do, they experience only a sore throat and skin infections. But in rare instances where the bacterium reaches the bloodstream, muscles and lungs, the symptoms can quickly turn serious, causing low blood pressure, multiple organ failure, and even death, authorities say.
Patients are treated with antibiotics, but serious complications require the removal of the infected tissue. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people clean and care for wounds, wash their hands frequently and take antibiotics if prescribed.
Health minister Keizo Takemi told reporters last Friday that, while the exact cause behind the increase is unknown, it is probably related to the rebound of respiratory diseases after Japan entered a post-pandemic phase last spring.
By reclassifying COVID-19 to a status on par with seasonal flu, the government relaxed a range of infection control measures put in place at the start of the pandemic in 2020.
Group A streptococcus is transmitted through droplets and the touching of surfaces, Takemi said, stressing that proper hygiene is important.
¡°We want people to take preventative steps such as keeping your fingers and hands clean, and exercising cough etiquette,¡± he said.
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