2007-08-17
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (August 17) confirmed two cases of leptospirosis (an infectious disease caused by bacteria found in the waste of infected animals).
A CHP spokesman said one of the patients is a 46-year-old man living in Eastern District. He developed fever and chill on July 20 and was admitted to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on July 25. He has recovered and was discharged on July 31. The patient did not have any recent travel history. His four home contacts do not have any symptoms.
Another 52-year-old man, living in Tai Po, developed fever and muscle pain on July 20. He was admitted to Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital on July 24. He has recovered and was discharged on July 31. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had travelled to the Mainland in early July. His two home contacts do not have any symptoms. Further investigation is on-going.
Laboratory tests on blood samples of the two patients yielded positive results for leptospirosis today.
This is the fourth and fifth leptospirosis cases reported in Hong Kong this year.
There were one local case in 2001, two local cases in 2002, one imported case in 2003, one imported and five local cases in 2004, three imported and four local cases in 2005 and two imported and one unclassified cases in 2006.
The spokesman said leptospirosis was a zoonotic (animal) disease caused by the bacteria, leptospira, which can be found in some animals including rodents, cattle, pigs, horses and dogs.
Most human infections occur through contact with urine excreted by infected mammals primarily through skin abrasions, open wounds or mucous membranes, and occasionally through ingestion or inhalation.
The disease is normally not transmissible among human, and the incubation period is usually between five to 14 days.
The spokesman said people infected with leptospirosis commonly presented with a flu-like illness with high fever, headache, muscle pains, red eye, sore throat and rash. In some cases, the disease can cause anemia (a kind of blood disease) and affect the liver, kidneys, lungs, and other internal organs. The disease can be treated effectively with antibiotics.
"Overseas outbreaks of leptospirosis are usually related to occupational or recreational water exposures, such as water contaminated with urine of infected animals," the spokesman said.
The risk of infection can be minimised by covering open wounds properly and avoiding contact with urine of live mammals and objects contaminated by them as well as polluted water, he said.
Ends/Friday, August 17, 2007