Cases of a dangerous and highly deadly bacterial infection in Japan have reached record levels, according to official statistics, but experts are yet to pinpoint the reason for the increase.
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has recorded 977 cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), which has a fatality rate of up to 30 percent, as of June 2. Some 77 people died from the infection between January and March, according to the latest figures available.
Japan’s ongoing STSS outbreak has already surpassed the previous record of 941 cases last year, the highest since statistics began in 1999. Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases reported that 97 people died from STSS last year, the second-highest number in the past six years.
STSS is a rare but serious bacterial infection caused by the spread of bacteria to deep tissues and the bloodstream. Patients initially suffer from symptoms such as fever, muscle pain and vomiting, but symptoms such as low blood pressure, swelling and multiple organ failure can rapidly develop as the body goes into shock and the condition can become life-threatening.
“Even with treatment, STSS can be fatal. Up to 3 of 10 people with STSS will die from the infection,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Most cases of STSS are caused by Group A Streptococcus (GAS), which causes fever and throat infections, mainly in children. In rare cases, Streptococcus A can produce toxins that enter the bloodstream and cause severe illness, including toxic shock.
Group A strep can also cause “flesh-eating” necrotizing fasciitis that can lead to limb loss, but most people who get the disease have other health conditions, such as cancer or diabetes, that can reduce the body’s ability to fight off infection, according to the CDC.
Invasive group A streptococcal infections had been largely contained due to COVID-19 prevention measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing, but many countries reported an increase in the number of infections after these measures were relaxed.
Group A streptococcal infections are on the rise in the UK, with six deaths so far in children under the age of 10.