A rare and deadly bacterial infection, known as streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), is spreading rapidly in Japan with record numbers of cases reported in the first half of 2024. According to data from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, there have been 977 cases of STSS this year, surpassing the previous record high of 941 cases reported for all of last year. The disease is caused by streptococcus pyogenes bacteria and can lead to limb necrosis and multiple organ failure.
Tokyo has been the most affected area, reporting 145 cases in the first six months of 2024. Symptoms of STSS include fever, muscle aches, low blood pressure, and potential organ failure within 48 hours if not treated with antibiotics. Elderly individuals are particularly susceptible to the disease.
The spread of STSS in Japan follows a trend seen in other countries after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. In late 2022, at least five European nations reported an increase in invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS) disease, which includes STSS. The World Health Organization attributed the rise to the end of Covid restrictions.
Professor Ken Kikuchi of Tokyo Women's Medical University urged people to maintain hand hygiene and treat any open wounds to prevent the spread of STSS. He noted that patients may carry GAS in their intestines, which could contaminate hands through feces.
The disease is not limited to Japan, as cases have also been reported in other parts of the world. In England, for example, there was a surge in group A strep cases following the relaxation of social mixing restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Similar trends may be playing out across Japan.
