Doctors in hospitals of HCM City have warned of an increase in diseases caused by streptococus pneumoniae bacteria, reported Tin Tức (News) online newspapers. — Photo baotintuc.vn

HÀ NỘI — Doctors in hospitals of HCM City have warned of an increase in diseases caused by streptococus pneumoniae bacteria, reported Tin Tức (News) online newspapers.

The bacteria causes many serious diseases in both children and adults, and leaves dangerous complications, even death, if patients are not given proper treatment. 

Since the beginning of the year, many children have been hospitalised with diseases of pneumonia and meningitis caused by streptococus pneumoniae.

Dr. Châu Việt Cường, head of Infectious Department of Children’s Hospital 2 told the paper: “Since early this year, the hospital had received two patients with purulent meningitis, one of whom was nine-month baby hospitalised in serious condition who died after 12 hours.”

Meanwhile, in the HCM City Hospital of Tropical Diseases, there have been four children with streptococus pneumoniae-infected pneumonia and purulent meningitis.

Doctors said that most infected children are from southern provinces of Long An, An Giang and Cà Mau.

Dr. Cường said that children who had the disease of bacteria-infected purulent meningitis were in serious condition, needed prolonged treatment and suffered several complications such as infection or abscess on the brain.

If the abscess were serious, the children underwent surgery to suck out pus from the brain, the doctor said.

“Besides, the treatment fees are very high, about VNĐ100 million (US$4,600) per case, because of prolonged treatment and the use of many kinds of antibiotics medicines,” said Cường.

According to Dr. Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Linh from the city’s Preventive Healthcare Centre, the diseases caused by the bacteria could affect all people. However, the high-risk groups were children under two years old and seniors over 65, the doctor said.

Other high-risk groups were people who live in unhygienic environments, had weak immune systems or asthma or heart disease and those who are often hospitalised and use respirators.

So far, the best measure to prevent bacterial diseases is vaccination, according to a doctor’s advice.

Some vaccines can be used for children from two months.

Besides, keeping a clean living environment was also an effective solution. — VNS