A disease caused by a rare “flesh-eating bacteria” that can kill people within 48 hours is spreading in Japan after the country relaxed Covid-era restrictions, Bloomberg reported on Saturday.
Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is an aggressive illness that can be fatal within 48 hours of infection.
As many as 977 cases of STSS have been reported in Japan this year by June 2, higher than the record 941 cases reported last year, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, which has been tracking incidences of the disease since 1999.
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) might be a mouthful, but it’s a germ we should all be familiar with. It’s the culprit behind a whole spectrum of infections; from the relatively harmless strep throat, it can metamorphose into a dangerous entity causing conditions as grave as necrotizing fasciitis. It’s essential to know more about GAS to guard and control these infections effectively.
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) typically causes swelling and sore throat in children known as “strep throat,” but some types of the bacteria can lead to symptoms developing rapidly, including limb pain and swelling, fever, low blood pressure, that can be followed by necrosis, breathing problems, organ failure and death.
People over 50 are more prone to the disease.
Experts added that at the current rate of infections, the number of cases in Japan could reach 2,500 this year, with a “terrifying” mortality rate of 30%.
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