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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (August 16) investigating a cluster of suspected mad honey poisoning involving three persons, and hence urged members of the public to buy honey from a reliable source or apiary.
The first patient is a 49-year-old man who developed dizziness and numbness to his bilateral upper limbs yesterday (August 15) about two hours after consuming honey at home.
In addition, his 66-year-old mother-in-law developed severe dizziness, sweating, transient loss of consciousness and seizure shortly after intake of the same honey. His 30-year-old female friend also developed dizziness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, limb numbness and transient loss of consciousness about an hour after consumption.
The three patients attended the Accident and Emergency Department of North District Hospital, where the two females were admitted to the Cardiac Care Unit while the male was sent to a general ward for management. The male is currently in stable condition and the two females are now in serious condition.
Their clinical diagnosis is suspected grayanotoxin poisoning.
Initial enquiries by the CHP revealed the honey was brought from Nepal by the male patient. The trio took about one to two spoonfuls of the honey and the remaining two food collaterals have remained asymptomatic so far.
The remnant honey has been collected pending laboratory testing by the Toxicology Reference Laboratory of the Hospital Authority.
The CHP's investigations are proceeding.
"Mad honey poisoning is caused by ingestion of honey containing grayanotoxins derived from plants belonging to the Ericaceae family, including rhododendrons. Grayanotoxins are neurotoxins which can affect nerves and muscles. Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness, weakness, excessive perspiration, hypersalivation and paresthesia shortly after ingestion. In severe cases, hypotension, bradycardia or shock may occur," a CHP spokesman explained.
Locally, one case of mad honey poisoning was reported to the CHP in 2012 while no cases were filed in 2011 and 2010.
Members of the public are reminded to take heed of the following preventive advice:
* Buy honey from a reliable source or apiary;
* Discard honey with bitter or astringent taste as grayanotoxin-containing honey may cause a burning sensation in the throat;
* Seek more information on the types of flowers used to produce the honey whenever possible; and
* Travellers to areas such as the Black Sea region of Turkey, North America, Korea, Japan, Nepal and New Zealand should pay special attention as there have been reported cases of grayanotoxin poisoning which were attributed to honey from these areas.
Ends/Friday, August 16, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:15
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