12 Oct 2009
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating a necrotising fasciitis case (flesh-eating disease) involving a 62-year-old man.
The patient lives in Wong Tai Sin. He sustained injures to his right hand at home while handling a fish on October 8. He then developed swelling on the right hand with fever the next day and was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The patient is now in critical condition.
Laboratory tests on tissues from his right hand yielded Vibrio vulnificus, a type of bacteria causing necrotising fasciitis.
A CHP spokesman said necrotising fasciitis was a serious bacterial infection of the soft tissue and fascia, which could destroy tissues and cause death within 12 to 24 hours of infection.
People are reminded to adopt the following preventive measures:
* Avoid exposure of open wounds or broken skin to seawater or salty water;
* Wounds should be thoroughly cleansed and properly covered;
* Wear thick rubber gloves when handling raw shellfish.
Patients should seek medical advice promptly if they develop symptoms and signs of infection like increasing redness, pain and swelling.