The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating a case of leptospirosis, an infectious disease caused by bacteria found in the waste of infected animals.
A CHP spokesman said today (November 17) the patient, a 35-year-old man, developed fever, chills, headache, tiredness, muscle pain and vomiting on September 21. He was admitted to Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital in Tai Po on September 26 and discharged on September 30. Laboratory tests on his blood sample yielded positive results for leptospirosis.
The man had travelled to Macao before the onset of illness. CHP has contacted his home contacts in Hong Kong and found that they did not have any symptoms. CHP's investigation is on-going.
This is the third leptospirosis case reported in Hong Kong. The first two were imported cases while today's case has yet to be classified.
There were one local case in 2001, two local cases in 2002, one imported case in 2003 and one imported and five local cases in 2004, seven in 2005.
The spokesman noted that leptospirosis is 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 four to 19 days.
The spokesman said people infected with leptospirosis commonly present 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 added.
End/Friday, November 17, 2006