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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (November 30) confirmed a case of leptospirosis, an infectious disease caused by bacteria usually found in the waste of infected animals.
A CHP spokesman said the patient was a 41-year-old man living in Tuen Mun. He fainted on November 4 and was admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital on the same day. He passed away on November 25. The cause of death has yet to be established.
Laboratory tests on blood samples of the patient yielded positive results for leptospirosis.
CHP's investigation revealed that he had no travel history during the incubation period. Further investigation is on-going.
This is the 10th leptospirosis cases reported in Hong Kong this year.
There was one local case in 2001, two local cases in 2002, one imported case in 2003, one imported and five local cases in 2004, three imported and four local cases in 2005 and two imported cases and one unclassified case in 2006.
The spokesman said leptospirosis was a zoonotic (animal) disease caused by the bacteria, leptospira, which can be found in some animals including rodents, cattle, pigs, horses and dogs.
Most human infections occur through contact with urine excreted by infected mammals primarily through skin abrasions, open wounds or mucous membranes, and occasionally through ingestion or inhalation.
The disease is normally not transmissible among humans, and the incubation period is usually between five and 14 days.
The spokesman said people infected with leptospirosis commonly presented with a flu-like illness, with high fever, headache, muscle pains, red eyes, sore throat and rash. In some cases, the disease can cause anaemia (a kind of blood disease) and affect the liver, kidneys, lungs and other internal organs. The disease can be treated effectively with antibiotics.
"Overseas outbreaks of leptospirosis are usually related to occupational or recreational water exposures, such as water contaminated with urine of infected animals," the spokesman said.
The risk of infection can be minimised by covering open wounds properly and avoiding contact with urine of live mammals and objects contaminated by them as well as polluted water, he said.
Ends/Friday, November 30, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:17
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