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LCQ17: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections
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    Following is a question by the Hon Lau Kong-wah and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (December 19):

Question:

Will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the number of cases of local infections of Staphylococcus aureus in the past two years and, among such cases, the percentage of those caused by drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, as well as the respective numbers of cases resulting in death and amputation for treatment reason;

(b) whether the authorities have looked into the channels of infection for the aforesaid cases; among these cases, of the number and percentage of those cases in which infection was suspected to have taken place at beauty parlours or massage establishments; and

(c) of the details of the hygiene guidelines on the prevention of Staphylococcus aureus infections issued to beauty parlours or massage establishments?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a bacterium commonly found on human skin and mucosa, but it occasionally gets into the body and causes SA infections. SA infections are very common, and the Administration does not record the exact number of such infections.

     Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infection has become a statutory notifiable infectious disease since January 5, 2007. Between January 1, 2006 and October 31, 2007, the Department of Health (DH) received a total of 175 notifications of CA-MRSA infections (including voluntary notifications and, since January 5, 2007, statutory notifications) with two cases resulting in death. However, none of the patients needed to undergo amputation for treatment reason.

(b) Of the 175 CA-MRSA cases mentioned above, most (163 cases) were isolated cases and epidemiological investigation did not reveal sufficient evidence to identify the sources of the infections. As for the remaining 12 cases, they were household clusters of CA-MRSA infections, involving six families believed to have been infected through close contact. Among all the 175 cases, about 10% of those infected with CA-MRSA had patronised massage establishments within a year prior to the onset of symptoms. However, there is insufficient scientific evidence to show any association between patronising the massage establishments and the notified cases.

(c) To protect the operators and clients of beauty parlours, the DH revised the "Recommended Guidelines on Infection Control for Skin Penetration Practice" in September 2005. The Guidelines cover, inter alia, requirements of personal hygiene, disinfection of client's skin, environmental hygiene of work area, handling of instruments and equipment, as well as management of contaminated items and environment. The Guidelines have been uploaded to the homepage of the DH's Central Health Education Unit for the trade's reference. Moreover, the DH organised a seminar on "Infection Control for Skin Penetration Practice" in the same month to brief the trade on the concept of infectious diseases, as well as principles of infection control and effective infection control measures for skin penetration practice. The DH also published pamphlets and leaflets in early 2006 to enhance the trade's awareness of precautions against infection.

Ends/Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:23

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