Japan, “killer strep” infections rise to record levels

Post-Covid effect

An indirect consequence of the restrictions adopted during Covid? It is one of the keys to understanding, as had already happened when faced with a peak of another type of infection that appeared last December: following China, several European countries had also reported an increase in cases of mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children.

And, according to EU health officials, this increase in cases might also be linked to the limited transmission of viruses and bacteria during the pandemic, kept under control thanks to distancing, hygiene and masks. And even before that, between January and February 2023, there was an increase in cases of scarlet fever across Europe, a contagious disease also caused by a bacterium, group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that any group A strep infection can lead to toxic shock syndrome. The infection begins when bacteria enter the body through a compromised barrier, such as a skin lesion or mucous membranes. These bacteria then spread to deeper tissues and eventually enter the bloodstream.

Any injury, including surgical incisions, can be an entry point for bacteria, although “unfortunately, the route of entry remains unknown in up to 50% of cases,” according to the CDC.

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome

Stss, also known as “flesh-eating disease”, in the most serious cases can lead to tissue necrosis of the muscles and Niid indicates a mortality rate of 30% in those affected, but most show no symptoms or only have a sore throat and skin problems. Japanese authorities quoted by the Japan Times warn that if the bacterium spreads to the blood, muscles, or lungs, symptoms can quickly worsenleading to hypertension, organ failure and, in extreme cases, death.