Mpox cases slowly creeping up in Japan even as spread slows abroad
Tomoko Otake

"The health ministry in Tokyo | KYODO "
Health ministry statistics show that the number of mpox patients in Japan has crept up this month, in contrast with many other countries where the number of cases has recently declined.

As of Tuesday, Japan had reported 80 cases of mpox, an infectious viral disease that is primarily transmitted through men having sex with men. But anyone who has close contact with an infected person is also at risk.

All of the patients are men in their 20s to 60s, but the age range with the highest number of infections were those in their 30s and 40s.

Since July, when the nation reported its first case of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, it saw only eight cases through the end of the year. But the country has seen a gradual increase in new cases this year, from seven in January to 12 in February and 53 this month.

The infected patients were diagnosed with mpox after a doctor saw them with tell-tale symptoms such as rash, fever and swollen lymph nodes. Domestic reports this year are from men with no recent history of traveling abroad. They are all in a stable condition, according to the health ministry.

The World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern two days before Japan reported its first case. Amid the current outbreak in nonendemic countries, which was first reported in May 2022, almost 90,000 cases have been logged in more than 110 countries, resulting in 97 deaths, according to the WHO.

In typical mpox cases, fever, headache and swollen lymph nodes appear first, followed several days later by skin rashes. Rashes tend to appear on the face and then spread to the rest of the body, changing to blisters and scabs over time. Most people recover naturally within two to four weeks.

However, some patients amid the current outbreak have also developed skin rashes without early symptoms such as fever and the swelling of lymph nodes, and rashes have frequently been reported in genital areas and inside the mouth, the ministry said.

Under the Infectious Diseases Control Law, doctors are required to report suspected mpox cases to their local public health center.

Smallpox vaccines are effective against mpox, and Japan has approved one for use in preventing infections with the mpox virus and the development of severe symptoms. Also, avoiding contact with the infected and reducing the number of sexual partners is key to prevent the disease’s spread, experts say.

The outbreak in Japan comes amid a recent spike in cases of syphilis, an infectious disease that spreads through sexual contact. In 2022, Japan reported nearly 13,000 cases of syphilis, a record number since the law went into effect in 1999.

Syphilis also causes rashes, but symptoms progress in several stages over years and can cause serious damage to the nervous, visual and auditory systems if left untreated.

In the primary stage, syphilis, caused by bacteria called treponema, shows up as minor tumors in areas such as the genitals and lips. It can be cured with antibacterial drugs.

Condoms reduce the risks of giving or getting syphilis by preventing contact with a sore, but sores can also occur in areas not covered by a condom. The only way to completely avoid syphilis is to not have vaginal, anal or oral sex, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who does not have syphilis, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.