The Chinese patient was tested positive for Streptococcus suis. He is now in stable health condition after 12 days of treatment. — Photo benhvienbaichay.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health has warned medical facilities to be vigilant for suspected cases of Streptococcus suis, a bacteria that comes from pigs, after a number of human cases were found over the past few months.

A report from the ministry’s infectious disease surveillance system showed that in the first months of this year, a number of Streptococcus infections were recorded across the nation.

The Medical Centre of Sóc Sơn District in Hà Nội reported that it has successfully saved a patient suffering from anaphylactic shock after eating blood pudding.

L.Q.H.S., 51, residing in Phù Linh Commune, was admitted to the hospital with red skin, chest tightness, shortness of breath and high blood pressure.

The patient said he had no allergies and had a good health record.

On March 1, doctors at Bãi Cháy Hospital received a Chinese patient suffering from and a fever. The patient tested positive for Streptococcus suis.

He is now in stable health condition after 12 days of treatment.

The first human cases of Streptococcus suis were recorded last month when a 52-year-old resident of Hà Đông District, who was the owner of a restaurant which sells blood pudding, was infected with the virus.

The man underwent examination at 103 Military Hospital are suffering from high fever, nausea, and vomiting.

The ministry said that the majority of cases have involved people eating pork products such as blood pudding, or those who slaughter pigs.

Patients often suffer severe clinical symptoms ad need long-term, expensive treatment. Once people become infected with the virus, the disease develops quickly, leading to complications such as septic shock, coma, and multiple organ failure.

In 1960, the first human case was detected and since then there have been around 490 human cases of Streptococcus suis, of which the mortality rate stands at 17.5 per cent.

In Việt Nam, about 10 patients have been admitted to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in the past several years.

According to a study by the HCM City-based Hospital for Tropical Diseases, this disease is more prevalent during hot weather.

The majority of patients are farmers who are exposed to pork products or pig slaughtering.

Most of the patients had meningitis symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, stiff neck, and impaired consciousness.

To prevent the disease, the ministry’s Department of Preventive Medicine has called on local health authorities to strengthen supervision to early detect suspected cases of infections and have measures to handle the outbreak.

They have also advised people to stop eating blood pudding and cook pork meat properly in order to eliminate the potential risk of infection, as no vaccination against the disease is available at the moment.

Furthermore, people should avoid the purchase, transport, or slaughter of sick or dead pigs and use protective gloves when in contact with pigs. — VNS