The spread of a disease is shaking Japan: streptococcal infection. Should we fear a Covid-19 scenario?
Experts warn that a rare but dangerous bacterial infection is spreading at a record rate in Japan, with authorities struggling to identify the cause, reports the Guardian.
The number of cases in 2024 is expected to surpass last year’s record figures, amid growing fears that the most serious and potentially fatal form of group A streptococcal disease – streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) – continues to spread, after the presence of highly virulent and infectious strains was confirmed in Japan.
The National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) said: “There are still many unknown factors regarding the mechanisms behind fulminant (severe and sudden) forms of streptococci, and we are not yet at the stage where we can explain them.”
While older adults are considered more at risk, the group A strain causes more deaths in patients younger than 50, according to the NIID.
Most cases of STSS are caused by a bacteria called streptococcus pyogenes. Better known as Strep A, this bacteria can cause sore throats, mainly in children, and many people have it without knowing it and don’t get sick.
About 30% of cases of this disease are fatal
But the highly contagious bacteria that causes the infection can, in some cases, cause serious illness, health complications and death, especially in adults over 30. About 30% of cases of STSS are fatal.
Experts say the rise in cases last year could be directly linked to the lifting of restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic, the British daily reports. Because like Covid-19, streptococcal infections are spread by droplets and physical contact. The bacteria can also infect patients through wounds on the hands and feet.