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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
Regarding the earlier announcement on a cluster of cases of gastrointestinal mucormycosis found at Queen Mary Hospital (QMH), a spokesperson for the hospital gave the following updates today (February 24):
QMH Bone Marrow Transplant unit will resume the admission of new bone marrow transplant patient tomorrow (February 25).
Since there were no new cases identified clinically or microbiologically in the past week and the drug Posaconazole is now available for treatment, QMH has to strike a balance between the safety of ward environment and the need of bone marrow transplant patients to undergo the procedure as early as possible. It was decided to resume the admission of bone marrow transplant patients on the waiting list.
New patients admitted for bone marrow transplant must have undergone pre-admission microbiological surveillance and weekly surveillance culture would be performed for bone marrow transplant in-patients.
At present, there are five affected cases under treatment. The paediatric patient is recovering. The other two asymptomatic adult bone marrow transplant patients are stable. Another two symptomatic adult patients are on critical conditions. One is due to his terminal cancer and the other one is due to the complications developed after the Bone Marrow Transplant. QMH will continue the surveillance on patients with immunosuppressed due to leukaemia/lymphoma and chemotherapy treatment.
Mucormycosis is a rare disease due to Murorales. These fungal spores are ubiquitously found in environment, food and wooden material. Most patients who developed this disease are very immunosuppressed due to leukaemia/lymphoma and the chemotherapy.
Extensive investigation indicates pre-packed food is the most likely source in the affected patients. Education and instruction to patients on safe food and drinks have been strengthened. No more pre-packed foods are provided for the leukaemia/lymphoma and the chemotherapy patients.
Ends/Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Issued at HKT 21:30
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