According to the Japanese Ministry of Health, 977 cases have been registered and 77 people have died.
The proliferation of infections from a dangerous bacteria in Japan has revived the fear of a new pandemic. Epidemiologists consider the situation controlled, but the increase in the presence of streptococcus pyogenes is considerable and Its consequences can be serious.
Official figures released by the Japanese Ministry of Health indicate that 977 cases have been registered. Besides, 77 people would have died as a consequence of the infection.
What is streptococcus?
Streptococcus is a bacteria con a mortality rate of up to 30% and among its symptoms are fever, muscle pain and even vomiting. Up to that point, it may seem like a relatively harmless disease, but it also affects blood pressure and death cases They occur due to multiorgan failure.
Unlike COVID 19, this is “a known bacteria,” Dr. Pablo Javier Álvarez Soler tells ‘Euronews’. “It has been documented for years and It is spread through very close contacts by respiratory, oral route or by direct inoculation,” he adds.
The doctor assures that it also produces “Respiratory tract infections high and skin. Despite its mortality rate and the rebound in cases in JapanÁlvarez Soler believes that in countries like Spain we can rest assured.
“It is a bacteria that responds very well to drugs such as penicillin and amoxicillin, with a resistance rate of less than 5% in Spain,” he says. Although many already fear a new pandemic, the doctor believes that The current scenario is far from it.
Who is most vulnerable to strep?
Children, the elderly and people whose defenses are compromised “They always have to be careful” because they are more likely to contract this or other diseases.
In any case, children are the ones who can have a higher number of complications in case of being affected by this bacteria. In this group of the population, the bacteria “can cause some type of kidney deterioration or failure and spread systemically.”
What to do if we get streptococcus?
Doctors like Pablo Javier Álvarez insist on the pwhat we should give as patients in case our body manifests any of the aforementioned symptoms.
He assures that it is essential “common sense” and if, after receiving the antibiotic, the fever is prolonged, “you have to go back to the consultation because there may be complications” although he considers that this “would be strange because in Spain approximately one 90 or 95% of people respond well only with the antibiotics.”
If we suspect that we may have this bacteria, Dr. Álvarez assures that we should go to our primary care center to take a test and “carry out the depitting to know if it is present or not.”
