What is STSS? Japan sees record breaking outbreak in deadly bacterial infection
What is STSS?
Bacteria that enter the bloodstream and deep tissues can cause STSS, an uncommon but dangerous infection. Initially, it presents with symptoms such as fever, sore muscles, and nausea. However, it can turn deadly very rapidly, causing the body to fall into shock, low blood pressure, swelling, and multiple organ failure.
Record-Breaking Outbreak in Japan
With 941 STSS cases last year, the most since 1999, the current outbreak in Japan has already surpassed that record. The second-highest number of STSS deaths in six years occurred last year, with 97 fatalities.
Even with treatment, STSS can still be deadly, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They said that up to 30% of individuals with STSS may pass away as a result of the illness.
Causes and Risks of STSS
Children typically get fever and throat infections from group A streptococcus (GAS) bacteria, which is the cause of most STSS cases. Sometimes, though, this bacteria can create a toxin that makes it possible for it to enter the bloodstream and cause dangerous conditions like toxic shock.
«Flesh-eating» necrotizing fasciitis is a serious condition that can end in limb loss and is also caused by GAS. A rise in invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS) infections, which primarily affect children under 10, was reported to the World Health Organization by five European nations in December 2022. A potential rise in the illness at that time was also being
