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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 (June 11) a case of New Delhi metallo-£]-lactamase-7 (NDM-7) and a case of New Delhi metallo-£]-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae.
The first patient is a 58-year-old man with underlying illnesses who lives alone in Jiangsu. He attended the outpatient clinic of a hospital in Jiangsu daily for left leg injury since May 24. He developed left leg pain and swelling on June 3 and came to Hong Kong on the same day. He was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital on June 4. His condition has been stable all along.
His rectal swab grew NDM-7 Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae as confirmed by the PHLSB.
The second patient is a four-month-old baby boy with underlying illnesses. He was hospitalised in Shandong from March 24 to April 5 and was brought to Hong Kong on June 2. He was admitted to Hong Kong Eye Hospital for medical examination on June 4 and was discharged on the same day. He is now in a stable condition.
His rectal swab yielded NDM-1 Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae as confirmed by the PHLSB. His travel collateral and home contacts in Hong Kong remain asymptomatic.
CHP's investigations are on-going.
These are the 48th and 49th detected cases 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 have varied 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/Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:20
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