The threat of Group A Streptococcus (GAS), dubbed the "throat killer," is growing. Over the past decade, 383 cases of invasive infection have been confirmed in South Korea with a fatality rate of 14.4%, yet the disease has not been designated as a nationally notifiable infectious disease, leaving the country without a nationwide surveillance system. In Taiwan, a recent outbreak infected eight members of a single family, sending six to the hospital.
According to medical authorities on the 28th, an investigation commissioned by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and conducted by Professor Lee Hyun-ju's research team at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital found 383 cases of invasive Group A Streptococcal infection in South Korea between 2015 and 2024. Among them, 14.4% died and 27.2% required intensive care unit treatment. Surgery or skin incision procedures were performed in 41.5% of cases (159 cases), and five cases (1.3%) involved limb amputation. Another 11.7% of patients suffered permanent disabilities. Despite these figures, South Korea has not designated Group A Streptococcal infection as a nationally notifiable disease, leaving no nationwide surveillance framework in place.
Overseas cases of GAS infection continue to mount. According to Taiwan's Sanlih E-Television and other outlets on the 21st (local time), an eight-year-old boy identified as "A" living in Changhua County in central Taiwan recently complained of pain, saying his "throat felt as if it had been slashed by a knife." Swollen tonsils and difficulty opening his mouth persisted for several days, after which identical symptoms appeared in eight family members — his mother, three siblings, an aunt, and two cousins. Changhua Hospital under the Ministry of Health and Welfare diagnosed the group with a cluster infection of Group A Streptococcus. Fortunately, the six who were hospitalized in serious condition were discharged after six days of treatment.
Group A Streptococcus is the causative agent of Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS). While infection typically causes relatively mild illnesses such as pharyngitis and scarlet fever, it can progress to invasive infection when the bacteria penetrate the blood, muscles, or lungs. This can lead to fatal complications including sepsis, necrotizing fasciitis — commonly known as the "flesh-eating disease" — and multiple organ failure. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the fatality rate of STSS ranges from 30% to 70%. The bacteria spread primarily through mucous membranes or skin wounds and can also be transmitted via respiratory droplets, yet no vaccine has been developed to date. Early diagnosis followed by antibiotic treatment remains the only available response. In Japan, STSS cases reached 941 in 2023 following the COVID-19 transition to endemic status and have continued to rise each year since.
