This is the rare “flesh-eating bacteria” that has experts in Japan worried

Its spread in Japan this year is at record levels and experts are trying to figure out the reason for its strong expansion, a mystery they have not been able to solve so far. According to official figures, it is streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), a dangerous and highly fatal bacterial infection that has reached levels of contagion never seen before.

This strange “flesh-eating bacteria” can be fatal in just 48 hours. And studies have shown that it is spreading more rapidly since Covid restrictions have been eased. As of June 2, the Japanese Ministry of Health had recorded 977 infections. The mortality rate is 30%, with 77 deaths from this infection between January and March, according to data managed by the administration made public by CNN.

In this way, the current outbreak exceeds the record of 2024, when 941 infections were recorded, the highest figure since 1999, the year the case count began. Last year, Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases reported 97 deaths due to STSS last year, the second highest death toll ever.

Group A Streptococcus

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is a rare but serious bacterial infection. It develops when bacteria spread to deep tissues and the bloodstream. Early symptoms are fever, muscle pain, and vomiting. People with low blood pressure, swelling, and multiple organ failure are more susceptible to the disease. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “up to three of every 10 people with STSS will die from the infection.”

Most cases of STSS are caused by group A streptococcus (GAS) bacteria, which causes fever and throat infections in children. In rare circumstances, strep A becomes invasive. In these cases, the bacteria produce a toxin with which it enters the bloodstream, causing serious illnesses such as toxic shock. Streptococcus A can also cause “flesh-eating” necrotizing fasciitis, which can threaten organs, mainly in cases of patients with other health factors such as cancer or diabetes.