Japan is seeing a record-breaking rise of a “flesh-eating bacteria” that can kill people within 48 hours, prompting a closer look at the deadly disease.
Close to 1,000 cases of Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) have been reported in the Asian country this year, and doctors warn symptoms can be fatal within 48 hours.
As of June 2, Japan reported 977 STSS cases, already surpassing last year’s total of 941 cases within the first six months of 2024, according to the country’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases.
There have been 77 deaths so far this year attributed to STSS. In 2023, 97 mortalities due to STSS occurred — the second highest number in the past two years, behind 101 deaths reported in 2019.
Local newspaper Asahi Shimbun reports that the outbreak has hit Tokyo particularly hard, with 145 cases in the first half of this year already. The majority of cases have been reported in adults over 30, and the death rate is around 30 per cent.
The disease is a response to Group A
Streptococcus (GAS), the same bacteria that causes strep throat in children. Some strains of the bacteria can lead to rapidly developing symptoms like fever, low blood pressure, limb pain and swelling. If untreated, these symptoms can develop into necrosis, organ failure, difficulty breathing and even death.
“Most of the deaths happen within 48 hours, said Ken Kikuchi, a professor in infectious diseases at Tokyo Women’s Medical University, in an interview with Bloomberg. “As soon as a patient notices swelling in foot in the morning, it can expand to the knee by noon, and they can die within 48 hours.”
Kikuchi warns that at this rate of infection, the number of cases in Japan could soar to more than 2,500 this year. Individuals over the age of 50 are particularly susceptible to severe disease and death, health officials warn.
How to identify and treat STSS
A GAS infection will first appear with symptoms including chills, fever, and headache. If you’re experiencing strep throat,there are also visible signs, most notably red, swollen tonsils and throat. White patches, pus, and red spots, known as petechiae, may also be present in the mouth and throat.
Doctors treat a common GAS infection, such as strep throat, with antibiotics like penicillin and amoxicillin.
However, if the infection progresses into STSS, the patient will require emergency and often intensive care. An STSS infection can progress very rapidly. In some cases, the infection can progress within hours to develop life-threatening low blood pressure.
Treatment for STSS involves high-dose IV antibiotics and supportive care, but prompt attention and intervention is crucial.
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