The same flesh-eating, potentially fatal virus plaguing Japan is being treated for a seriously ill Connecticut lady.
The American patient had symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, dyspnea, low blood pressure, and an increased heart rate when she was admitted to her local hospital. The patient had renal and respiratory failure as well as fluid buildup in their lungs, according to later medical imaging.
According to medical professionals, the woman's illness is the result of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), a bacterial infection that is deadly and has killed 77 individuals in Japan alone this year. The woman stopped peeing after three days in the intensive care unit, and one of her toes became black, indicating necrosis. The case study was released in the Cureus journal.
The patient had asthma, and the doctors believe that she inhaled infectious air droplets, which is how she acquired STSS. The patient's family members had all been diagnosed with strep throat prior to her admission. The widespread disease, known as group A strep, is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus group A, which causes throat soreness and discomfort when swallowing.
The majority of group A strep infections cause minor illnesses like strep throat. However, the bacteria can cause the development of STSS, which kills 30% of those who have it, when it gets into the blood and deep tissue.
When germs are exposed to an open wound, they can often penetrate further into the tissue and cause STSS. Common flu-like symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and muscle pains are the first signs of STSS. It can cause an increase in heart rate and a decrease in blood pressure as it progresses, which can result in organ failure.
Similar to what happened to the patient in Connecticut, STSS attacks healthy tissue, corroding flesh and sometimes requiring amputation. The patient from Connecticut has completed her inpatient rehabilitation and antibiotic course, but medical professionals warn that she may still require toe amputation.
In Japan, the number of STSS cases has skyrocketed—1,000 people have contracted the disease so far this year, and 77 of them have died. Experts believe immunity debt, or the immune system being weakened from lack of exposure to a variety of infections, is the cause of the increase.
"If we are in continual contact with microorganisms, we can strengthen our immune system. However, during the coronavirus epidemic, that process was absent, according to Tokyo Women's Medical University's Dr. Ken Kikuchi. "So, more people are now vulnerable to infection, which might be one reason for the sharp increase in cases."
Experts claim that influenza and COVID-19 infections are significantly more common, despite the spate of cases in Japan. According to a report by Bloomberg, the health ministry of Japan has reassured travelers that they don't need to change or cancel their scheduled trips.
Experts stress that a surge or spread of STSS in the US is unlikely. Nonetheless, they advise patients to take caution when tending to open wounds and to get help if they encounter any STSS-related symptoms.