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The Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB) of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health confirmed today (December 31) a case of New Delhi metallo-£]-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in an 86-year-old woman.
The patient, with chronic medical condition, lives in Hong Kong. She travelled to Guangdong on December 14 and was admitted to a local hospital between December 16 and 20 for shortness of breath. She was subsequently admitted to United Christian Hospital for further treatment upon her return to Hong Kong on December 20. Her current condition is stable.
The patient's rectal swab yielded NDM-1 Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae as confirmed by the PHLSB.
CHP's investigation is on-going.
This is the 36th detected case of NDM Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Hong Kong.
NDM is an enzyme which can inactivate carbapenems and other beta-lactams such as penicillins. Bacteria harbouring this NDM gene are commonly resistant to multiple antimicrobials, limiting therapeutic options and rendering severe clinical infections difficult to treat. Most bacteria with the NDM enzyme remain susceptible to two types of antibiotics, colistin and tigecycline.
Infections vary from being asymptomatic to potentially life-threatening or fatal. The level of risk depends on which part of the body is affected by the infection, and the general health of the patient.
NDM-producing Enterobacteriaceae was first reported in a Swedish patient of Indian origin who travelled to New Delhi, India, in 2008. The first fatal case was identified in 2010 in a patient who received medical treatment in Pakistan before being repatriated to Belgium.
NDM-producing Enterobacteriaceae has now been reported in many countries and regions including Australia, Austria, Canada, Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Sweden, Singapore, Taiwan, the UK and the US. Most patients had prior hospital contact in the Indian subcontinent.
A CHP spokesman said that proper use of antibiotics and personal hygiene, especially hand hygiene, are important for the prevention of emergence and cross-transmission of NDM strains.
Ends/Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Issued at HKT 19:20
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