A sudden spike in cases of a rare infection often linked to flesh-eating bacteria is happening in Japan

• Cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) have risen suddenly in Japan this year.
• The rare and deadly bacterial infection affects blood and tissue.
• STSS is treated with antibiotics and sometimes surgery. There is no vaccine for the infection.

In Japan, cases of an uncommon but deadly bacterial infection have spiked in recent months, concerning health officials, the Washington Post reported.