A family of eight in Changhua, Taiwan, headed by a woman surnamed Wu, experienced successive bouts of excruciating throat pain, likened to being slashed by a knife, to the point where they could barely open their mouths. The family was referred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare Changhua Hospital, where six members were hospitalized for six days. Subsequent bacterial cultures confirmed that the family had contracted Group A Streptococcus, commonly known as the 'flesh-eating bacteria.' After completing a ten-day course of antibiotics, their symptoms gradually improved.
Wu, a 39-year-old resident of Erlin Township, Changhua County, reported that her 8-year-old second son recently slept through an entire day and then experienced severe throat pain, crying that it felt like his throat was being slashed. She took him to seek medical attention, where it was found that his tonsils were severely swollen, he could not open his mouth, and his throat pain was like being torn apart.
Subsequently, Wu’s family members developed the same symptoms one after another. The entire family was referred to Changhua Hospital, ultimately including herself, her four children, her sister-in-law, and the sister-in-law’s two daughters, totaling eight people who fell ill. Six were hospitalized for six days due to the severity of their cases, and the hospital identified Group A Streptococcus as the culprit.
So-called 'flesh-eating bacteria' (Group A Streptococcus) has shown signs of spreading in Japan recently, with many people getting infected after traveling to Japan. However, Ms. Wu stated that her family had not been to Japan recently and did not know how the infection started; the outbreak may have been exacerbated by a family meal that led to further transmission.
Dr. Ma Ruishan, director of the Pediatrics Department at Changhua Hospital, explained that Group A Streptococcus is considered a 'throat killer,' mainly attacking the mucous membranes and soft tissues of the skin and, in severe cases, invading muscle or the fascia of soft tissues, leading to cellulitis or even necrotizing fasciitis, hence the name 'flesh-eating bacteria.' There has been a rise in cases after Lunar New Year, and as long as people are gathered in enclosed spaces, it can be transmitted via droplets, so the threat should not be underestimated.