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A disease caused by a rare “flesh-eating bacteria” that can kill people within 48 hours is spreading in Japan. The disease is spreading after Japan eased COVID-19 restrictions. According to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is an aggressive disease that can be fatal within 48 hours of infection.
As of June 2 this year, 977 cases of STSS have been reported in Japan, up from a record 941 cases reported last year, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. The institute has been monitoring cases of the disease since 1999.
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) commonly causes an inflamed and sore throat in children, known as “strep throat.” According to Bloomberg, certain types of the bacteria can cause symptoms including pain and swelling in the limbs, fever, low blood pressure, followed by necrosis, difficulty breathing, organ failure and death.
“Most deaths are happening within 48 hours, like a patient has swelling in the leg in the morning, by afternoon it will spread to the knee and they will die,” said Ken Kikuchi, a professor of infectious diseases at Tokyo Women's Medical University. “They can die within 48 hours.”
Mortality rate may increase up to 30 percent
People over the age of 50 are at higher risk of the disease. The infection rate in Japan could reach 2,500 cases this year and the mortality rate could reach 30 percent.
Kikuchi urged people to maintain hand hygiene and treat any open wounds. He said patients may have group A streptococcus in their intestines, which can contaminate hands through feces. According to a report, apart from Japan, outbreaks of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome have also been reported in several other countries recently. In late 2022, at least five European countries reported rising cases of invasive group A streptococcus disease to the World Health Organization.