Berlin. There are many cases of toxic shock syndrome in Japan. What makes the disease so dangerous – and what the situation is like in Germany.
In Japan The number of cases is currently exploding streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). The Ministry of Health recorded 977 cases as of June 2, 30 more than in the entire previous year – a record. Japanese authorities are concerned because the syndrome is dangerous. High Robert Koch Institute About 30% of those infected die. In 2023, 97 people died from the disease in Japan, according to data from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.
But what is streptococcal toxic shock syndrome? It is a bacterial infection, which can occur when streptococcal bacteria invade tissues and the bloodstream. According to medical reference work, those affected are e.Medpedia mainly adults between 20 and 50 years old. Viral infections are risk factors for STSS. In half of the cases there were potential entry points for streptococci, such as wounds.
Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome: these are the symptoms
Patients with STSS develop several symptoms. Typical are:
- Fever
- Headache, neck and stomach
- Nausea and vomiting
- dizziness
After 24 to 48 hours, erythroderma occurs – that is, redness of the entire skin – and the general condition worsens to the point of organ failure. Even with successful treatment, secondary damage can occur.
Despite the increase in the number of cases, Hitoshi Honda, an infectious disease specialist at Fujita Health University, does not expect any new cases Pandemiclike him “Japan timehe said. According to Honda, the main routes of transmission are droplet infections and direct contact. Therefore, it is not a transmission risk comparable to that of the coronavirus.
Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome: why there are more cases in Germany
However, an increase is not only seen in Japan. “When I talk to colleagues in clinical infectious disease medicine, we agree that we have had to deal with more serious strep A infections in recent months. Unfortunately, we cannot support this with clearly formulated data”, said Siegbert Rieg from the University Hospital Freiburg “pharmacy magazine“. He suspects that our immune system is affected by Corona measures Streptococci have been found less frequently in recent years and therefore we are more susceptible.
There are no exact figures from Germany and infections are not reportable. To protect yourself, you can do simple things Hygiene measures taken, how to wash your hands well. According to Rieg, STSS is treated with penicillin, in severe forms with a second antibiotic and in particularly severe cases with immunoglobulins.