Mystery in Japan as dangerous streptococcal infections soar to record levels

Health officials racing to identify cause of rise in streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, which has a 30% fatality rate

Experts warn that a rare but dangerous bacterial infection is spreading at a record rate in Japan, with officials struggling to identify the cause.

The number of cases in 2024 is expected to exceed last year’s record numbers, while concern is growing that the harshest and potentially deadly form of group A streptococcal disease – streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) – will continue to spread, after the presence of highly virulent and infectious strains were 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 streptococcus, and we are not at the stage where we can explain them.”

Provisional figures released by the NIID recorded 941 cases of STSS were reported last year. In the first two months of 2024, 378 cases have already been recorded, with infections identified in all but two of Japan’s 47 prefectures.

IvanOverdrive,

With the amount of dudes I see in this country walking away from the urinal, rinsing their hands without soap, and then using said hands to gargle, I’m not surprised strep is running rampant. Guess it’s time to put the mask back on. FML.

Cyberjin,

I have noticed this too lol

Treczoks,

Makes me wonder. This is a strain of Strep A - has this become immune against antibiotics?

Yots92,

Weird, Japanese eat high quality vitamins and proteins, which leads to powerful immunitary system, how can a simple bacterium be this powerful?

Mandarbmax,

There is more to having a good immune system than “don’t be malnourished”

answersplease77,

deleted_by_moderator

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    Tolstoshev,

    Wow the article actually acknowledges immune damage from Covid as a causative factor. I’m amazed and happy that people are finally waking up to this.

    MrPibb,

    Sadly I doubt that people that have taken horse paste to counteract their COVID infections will make those same acknowledgements.

    Vub,

    Waking up to the fact that covid infections often lead to other problems? I don’t know what kind of information the media in your country communicates but that has been pretty well known for a long time now.

    Tolstoshev,

    Agreed, the media here is complete shit.

    Witchfire, (edited )
    @Witchfire@lemmy.world avatar

    I don’t know what kind of information the media in your country communicates but that has been pretty well known for a long time now.

    In the US, antivaxxers downplaying polio and measles are given the same amount of credibility as actual scientists and medical personnel in the name of “fairness”, and Republicans waged a war against anyone reporting COVID infection data, so yeah, our standards are VERY low. Basically any kind of acknowledgement is ground breaking.

    Vub,

    That’s awful. Disinformation is a problem everywhere but not THAT bad.

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