ブタ連鎖球菌感染症で8人目の感染者@香港

四川省資陽市から始まったブタ連鎖球菌感染症だが、香港でまた一人感染者が確認された。78歳の女性で、旺角在住だという。"The Standard"の報道。現在は安定した容態だとのこと。

Pig disease infects its 8th HK victim
Doug Crets
August 11, 2005

The deadly swine disease that has sickened hundreds and killed 39 people in Sichuan province infected its eighth victim in Hong Kong, the Centre for Health Protection announced Wednesday.

The CHP and the Department of Health received a report that an unnamed 78-year-old woman was diagnosed with the virulent streptococcus suis disease when she was admitted to Kwong Wah Hospital in Mong Kok on August 8.

The woman came down with the infection on August 3 and was admitted to the hospital with a fever and pain in her right hip, doctors said.

The woman, a resident of Mong Kok, is listed in stable condition. She has not left Hong Kong, and there are no signs that she has infected anyone in her household, said health authorities.

CHP staff were interviewing the patient, her family and Kwong Wah hospital staff Wednesday night for further information on her condition and treatment.

The pig disease was brought to international attention last month after mainland authorities revealed that the strain had infected scores and killed at least 39 people in Sichuan province.

In an Associated Press report Wednesday, it was revealed that mainland officials are trying to track down customers who were sold infected meat sent to a Guangdong market by a woman whose husband was infected last Thursday while butchering sick pigs.

A man from Yangjiang in Guangdong province had contracted the disease through a wound in his hand while butchering pigs last Thursday, said AP.

Since June, 39 people have died, and officials suspect that 214 have been sickened by the disease.

More than 29,000 kilograms of infected pork have been seized in China and 532 meat vendors have lost their licenses for selling infected pork in Sichuan, Xinhua said Wednesday.

Guangdong provincial health department deputy director general Huang Fei told The Standard Tuesday that, despite two infections in the province, Guangdong is not likely to face a disease epidemic.

Members of the Democratic Party in Hong Kong last week conducted a survey that showed 70 percent of 533 people interviewed had ``stopped buying'' or ``bought less'' pork since the outbreak in late June.

Hong Kong health officials have announced in the past that they will remain vigilant and monitor the sales of pork products.

Streptococcus suis can cause meningitis, blood poisoning and pneumonia, but most cases are treatable with antibiotics.

というわけで、今回はまだ文明の地香港の感染なので、ちゃんと香港の「衛生防護中心(Centre for Health Protection)がこの患者についてアナウンスしている。

10 August 2005
A case of Streptococcus suis infection reported

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health received a report of Streptococcus suis infection from Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH) this evening (August 10). This added up to a total of 8 Streptococcus suis infection cases reported to CHP in 2005.

Case details are as follows:

Age: 78

Sex: Female

District of residence: Mong Kok

Date of Onset: August 3

Symptoms: Fever and left hip pain

Present Condition: Admitted to KWH on August 8. Now in stable condition.

Travel history: No recent travel history outside Hong Kong.

Others: Home contact did not have any symptoms.

Staff of CHP were contacting the patient, her family and hospital staff for further information. Health advice was given to the patient and his family.

Streptococcus suis infection may present as meningitis, septicaemia, and less commonly endocarditis, arthritis and bronchopneumonia. Streptococcus suis infection could be treated with appropriate antibiotics.

To prevent the disease, 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.

People with suspected symptoms should consult their doctors as soon as possible and report their relevant exposure histories.

Members of the public can obtain more information on Streptococcus suis from the CHP website (http://www.chp.gov.hk), 24-hour Health Education Hotline at 2833 0111, or latest information on infectious diseases in other places on the Department's Hong Kong Travellers' Health Service website (http://www.travelhealth.gov.hk).

Ends/Wednesday, August 10, 2005

しかし、本土への渡航歴もない、ごく普通の家庭のおばあちゃんみたいなのだが、どうしてブタ連鎖球菌に感染したのだろう？連鎖球菌に感染して死亡した斃死豚の肉を料理したくらいしか思いつかないのだが。