Latest news with #NationalInstituteofInfectiousDiseases
Asahi Shimbun
3 days ago
- Health
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Mosquitoes are the world's top predator, share traits with 2nd
An Asian tiger mosquito (Provided by the Department of Veterinary Science of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases) What is the most dangerous animal to human life? If asked the question, many might picture a snake coiled to strike, a bear looming in the forest or the fin of a shark slicing through the water. Yet the deadliest of them all, according to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is far smaller and far more commonplace: the mosquito. That fragile wisp of life, drifting on the air with its telltale, needling buzz. Malaria, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis—across the globe, these mosquito-borne scourges claim hundreds of thousands of lives each year. Some historians and scientists go further. Timothy C. Winegard, in 'The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator,' cites estimates suggesting that over the 200,000-year span of modern humanity, nearly half of all deaths have, in one way or another, borne the mark of this winged killer. The high-pitched whine of a mosquito has been tormenting humans since antiquity. In 'Makura no Soshi' ('The Pillow Book'), the celebrated Heian Period (794-1185) court lady Sei Shonagon (c. 966-1025) included among her list of 'hateful things' the mosquito that 'announces itself with that thin little wail' just as one has settled drowsily into bed. One might think it would be better if we couldn't hear it at all—yet some researchers speculate that humans evolved the ability to detect that tiny sound in order to survive. In the American animated film 'A Bug's Life,' populated by a cast of endearing insects, a tipsy mosquito sidles up to the bar and orders a 'Bloody Mary, O positive.' It's a playful nod to one theory suggesting that people with type O blood are particularly irresistible to mosquitoes. I fell victim to the summertime scourge on Aug. 7, twice bitten on the leg. Even in this season's abnormal heat, some mosquitoes seem immune to summer fatigue. The itch is maddening—so persistent it borders on malice. If only we could negotiate with them, I would gladly sign a peace treaty with these stubborn little vampires: Take my blood, but spare me the bite. Which brings us back to the killer rankings. After the whining blood bandit, which animal claims the next-highest human toll? The answer, of course, is ourselves—we who pride ourselves on our intelligence and reason, yet remain history's most prolific killers. —The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 8 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Asahi Shimbun
18-07-2025
- Health
- Asahi Shimbun
Kanagawa woman develops SFTS after being bitten by a tick
The Kanagawa prefectural government is urging residents to seek immediate medical attention if bitten by a tick following the prefecture's first human case of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome. (Provided by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases) Kanagawa prefectural officials announced on July 17 that a woman in her 60s has contracted a tick-borne disease and believe transmission occurred near her home, making this the first human case reported in the Kanto region. The resident of Matsuda, Kanagawa Prefecture, developed symptoms including fever and diarrhea on June 28 before being hospitalized. A genetic test conducted by the Kanagawa Prefectural Institute of Public Health confirmed she had severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), a viral infection transmitted by ticks. This was the prefecture's first documented case of a human being infected with SFTS. After further inquiry into her recent activities, it was concluded that a tick likely bit the woman while she was doing farm work or weeding near her home. According to the prefecture, SFTS cases have a mortality rate of at least 10 percent. By the end of April this year, 117 people in Japan had died from the disease. The woman living in Matsuda has since been discharged from the hospital and is recovering. The prefecture is urging the public to wear clothing that covers the skin and to avoid forcibly removing ticks if bitten, advising instead to see a doctor. In 2013, the first case of SFTS in Japan was confirmed in Yamaguchi Prefecture in a patient with no history of overseas travel. Since then, SFTS cases have gradually spread eastward from western Japan. As of April this year, the easternmost confirmed case occurred in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Japan Times
23-04-2025
- Health
- Japan Times
Japan's new health institute gives first acute respiratory infection cases tally
The number of new acute respiratory infection, or ARI, cases reported at some 3,000 designated medical institutions across Japan was 181,270 in the week through April 13, a new national institute said Tuesday. This was the first tally of such cases since ARI, a general term for cold and other symptoms, was designated as a Category V disease under the infectious diseases control law. The government aims to swiftly detect unknown illnesses by monitoring ARI cases on a regular basis. According to the Japan Institute for Health Security, created this month by integrating the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, the number of ARI patients per medical institution in the reporting week stood at 49.39. By prefecture, Tochigi logged the highest figure, at 94.13, and Kochi posted the lowest figure, at 27.37. The number of ARI patients will be released every Tuesday, and the overview of the ARI situation in Japan will be updated every Friday. Health minister Takamaro Fukuoka told a news conference Tuesday that his ministry aims to warn against infectious diseases early and take appropriate measures.
Yomiuri Shimbun
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Common Cold Classified as Category V: Be Prepared for Emergence of New Infectious Diseases
It may be possible that a new infectious disease may be lurking within the symptoms of the common cold that everyone has experienced, such as coughing and a sore throat. It is essential to collect detailed information from medical facilities and contain the spread of infection. Fixed-point surveillance of the number of patients who were treated by doctors with common cold symptoms began on April 7. This move followed the government's decision last year to categorize all infections with cold-like symptoms as 'acute respiratory infections' and classified them as Category V under the Infectious Diseases Law. About 3,000 medical institutions designated for the surveillance will now report patient numbers and other information to public health centers. Medical institutions have previously reported patient numbers separately for specific pathogens such as seasonal influenza and the novel coronavirus. Patients with cold symptoms whose pathogens were not determined through testing were not included in such reports. This made it difficult to determine whether new infectious diseases were emerging, causing countermeasures to be delayed. Therefore, it was decided to collect a wide range of information on the occurrence of general cold symptoms. Nasal or throat mucus from some of these patients will be collected as samples for pathogen analysis. A system to quickly identify new infectious diseases based on the data obtained should be established. Information on infectious diseases had been reported to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) through facilities such as public health centers. However, starting this fiscal year, the process has been consolidated at the Japan Institute for Health Security, which was formed by merging the NIID and the National Center for Global Health and Medicine. The new institute is responsible for advising the government on the spread of infectious diseases. Information on infection trends should be made available to the public without delay. Even though the common cold has been classified as a Category V infectious disease under the law, there will be no restrictions on going to work or school, unlike for influenza or COVID-19. The government should carefully provide explanations to avoid misunderstandings. In addition to the common cold, there has been a rapid spread of whooping cough, a disease marked by severe coughing that lasts for a long time. Whooping cough is a bacterial infection that can cause severe complications in infants, including pneumonia and encephalitis. Infections primarily spread through airborne droplets from coughing or sneezing. Vaccinations are routinely administered to infants and small children, and they should be vaccinated promptly. If a person is infected, treatment with antibiotics is available, so it is important to seek medical treatment quickly. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many people likely have come to realize the importance of basic preventive measures such as handwashing. It is essential that each individual remains vigilant about information on infectious diseases and examines their preventive measures. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 20, 2025)
