Hong Kong (dpa) - A flesh-eating bacterial disease has already
killed more people in Hong Kong this year than in the previous two
years combined, a newspaper report said Friday.
Five people have died so far this year from the disease, which
mainly affects the elderly and chronically ill, compared with one
death in all of 2010 and two in 2009, the South China Morning Post
said.
Sixteen people with the disease have been admitted to public
hospitals this year against 11 admissions for the whole of 2009.
The disease is caused by two bacteria - Vibrio vulnificus and
group A streptococcus. Vibrio vulnificus is from the same family as
cholera while group A streptococcus can cause scarlet fever in
children.
Doctors said the surge in cases coincided with an outbreak of
scarlet fever, which has infected more than 830 people this year
against 128 last year and 187 in 2009.
University of Hong Kong microbiologist professor Ho Pak-leung said
the two diseases were periodic and in recent years the number of
infections had peaked more frequently.
"It is probably because a large part of our population has not
been exposed to the bacteria before and so does not have the
antibodies," he said.
Most of the flesh-eating infections, which can kill a patient in
12 to 24 hours, began in limb injuries.
"If the wounds turn black or become unbearably painful, one should
see a doctor immediately," Ho said. "Some people who died only went
to the doctor after two to three days, leading to a delay in
treatment."
Copyright 2011 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH