A case of Streptococcus suis infection under investigation

25 Sep 2008

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (September 25) investigating a case of laboratory confirmed infection of Streptococcus suis, a kind of bacteria isolated from pigs.

The case involved a 50-year-old man living in Sham Shui Po who developed fever, back pain and left shoulder pain on September 18. He was admitted to Caritas Medical Center two days later and is now in stable condition.

A CHP spokesman said the patient had no travel history recently. His home contacts did not have any symptom.

This is the fourth reported case of Streptococcus suis infection in 2008. A total of six, eight and 13 cases were reported in 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively.

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 could be treated with appropriate antibiotics.

To prevent the disease, members of the public 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.

Members of the public with suspected symptoms should consult their doctors as soon as possible and report their relevant exposure histories.

They 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).