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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (May 15) investigating a case of laboratory confirmed infection of Streptococcus suis, a kind of bacteria isolated from pigs.
The case involved a 79-year-old woman living in Chai Wan who developed fever on May 7. She was admitted to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on May 11 and is now in critical condition.
A CHP spokesman said she had no recent travel history. Her home contact did not have any symptoms.
This is the first reported case of Streptococcus suis infection in 2007. Eight cases were reported in 2006 and 13 cases were reported in 2005.
The spokesman said Streptococcus suis infection may present as meningitis (inflammation of the membrane enclosing the brain), septicaemia (blood stream infection), and less commonly endocarditis (inflammation of the inner lining of the heart chambers), arthritis and bronchopneumonia (a kind of lung infection involving the bronchioles). Streptococcus suis infection can be treated with appropriate antibiotics.
To prevent the disease, people are advised to always observe personal and environmental hygiene practices and avoid contact with pigs that are sick or dead from diseases and their excreta or body fluid. If contact with pigs or raw pork is necessary, one should:
? Use protective gloves;
? Wash hands after handling pigs or raw pork; and
? Clean and cover all wounds properly.
People with suspected symptoms should consult their doctors as soon as possible and report their relevant exposure histories.
People can obtain more information on Streptococcus suis from the CHP website (http://www.chp.gov.hk). They can also obtain latest information on infectious diseases in other places on the Department's Hong Kong Travellers' Health Service website (http://www.travelhealth.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:56
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