Flesh-Eating Bacteria Risks Associated with Minor Injuries and Untreated Athlete’s Foot
“Although the exact cause is unknown, if you experience swelling, pain, or a warm sensation in any area, it is advisable to seek medical attention immediately.”
In city clinics, it is sometimes not possible to diagnose severe streptococcal infection.
What makes this disease frightening is that even if you seek medical attention, you might not feel reassured. This is because diagnosing severe streptococcal infection can be challenging in a clinic setting.
“To diagnose severe streptococcal infection, it is necessary to incise the swollen area and perform a tissue biopsy. However, smaller clinics may not consider making an incision. Often, they prescribe antibiotics and monitor the condition instead.
This approach is usually sufficient, but the problem is that severe streptococcal infection could be mixed in with other conditions.”
Even if medications are prescribed, there may be no improvement, and the pain can become increasingly severe.
“Many patients who come to our hospital have initially visited dermatology or orthopedics clinics. They often end up being transported by ambulance due to unbearable pain, low blood pressure, and confusion.”
While Dr. Saijo has not seen any patients who have died, some have undergone up to eight surgeries to amputate necrotic parts or remove dead tissue.
As for why there has been a sharp increase this year, one theory is that the heightened cleanliness during the COVID-19 pandemic might have weakened immune systems, making individuals more susceptible to bacterial infections.
“I believe various institutions are researching this, but the cause remains unknown.”
The lack of understanding is partly because there have been so few cases in the past. The limited data makes it challenging to clarify the nature of the disease.
“I hope to integrate valuable data from affected individuals and share the disease’s characteristics with healthcare professionals to facilitate early diagnosis.”
