According to epidemiological investigation, on the evening of August 6, Mr. NVH (born in 1974), residing in Phuong Tien commune, Dinh Hoa district, went to eat boiled blood pudding at a neighbor's house. At around 9:00 p.m. the same day, Mr. H. had symptoms of fever, accompanied by frequent loose stools.

Illustration photo.

Early the next morning, he continued to have headaches, dizziness, nausea...so his family took him to Dinh Hoa District General Hospital and diagnosed him with septic shock, stroke, idiopathic hypertension, chronic kidney failure...

On the morning of August 7, Mr. H. was transferred to Thai Nguyen Central Hospital in a state of slow consciousness, Glasgow score of 13, pale skin and mucous membranes, with purple veins all over the body, conjunctival hemorrhage, difficulty breathing (breathing rate 30 times/minute), blood pressure 100/60mmHg. Diagnosis of gastrointestinal septic shock.

Test results showed that patient H. was positive for streptococcus suis. After nearly 3 days of treatment, on the afternoon of August 9, Mr. H. died.

Previously, on August 3, information from the Quang Xuong District Medical Center, Thanh Hoa province confirmed that a person had died in the area due to eating pig's blood pudding leading to streptococcus suis infection.

In Hanoi, according to the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC), last week, Hanoi recorded 2 cases of streptococcus. Thus, since the beginning of 2024, the city has recorded 6 cases of streptococcus.

Also regarding streptococcus, the Intensive Care Unit, Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases received a 57-year-old male patient (in Yen Bai) transferred from Yen Bai Provincial General Hospital with a diagnosis of septic shock due to streptococcus.

Dr. Pham Van Phuc, Deputy Head of the Intensive Care Unit, said that before being hospitalized, the patient was still performing his daily pig slaughtering work.

But just 3 hours after the pig surgery (around 10am), the patient had a fever, fatigue, followed by abdominal pain and vomiting. The patient was admitted to a medical facility near his home and transferred to Yen Bai General Hospital where he was diagnosed with septic shock and monitored for streptococcus suis.

From 2:00 a.m. on June 17, the patient developed rapidly increasing necrotic hemorrhagic rashes on the skin accompanied by respiratory failure. He was intubated and transferred to the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.

Upon admission, the patient had generalized edema, multiple hemorrhagic necrosis of the whole body and face, multiple organ failure, liver and kidney damage, blood clotting disorder, etc.

The patient was diagnosed with septic shock suspected to be caused by Streptococcus suis, and was prescribed continuous blood filtration and other procedural interventions.

Doctor Phuc shared that recently, the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases regularly receives and treats cases of streptococcal disease transferred here.

Many patients were admitted to the hospital in critical condition, with multiple organ failure and severe blood clotting disorders. Some patients were cured but had to have their necrotic fingertips or toes amputated….

Streptococcus suis is a bacterial disease caused by Streptococcus suis. Streptococcus suis infection is rare in humans. However, humans can become infected and develop the disease through contact with sick pigs or products from sick pigs.

Streptococcus suis can be transmitted to humans through contact with sick pigs or pigs carrying the bacteria through small lesions or scratches on the skin of people who slaughter, process or eat pork or undercooked blood pudding from sick pigs or pigs carrying the bacteria.

Streptococcus suis is found in many parts of the world where pigs are raised. The bacteria usually reside in the upper respiratory tract, especially in the nose and throat, in the digestive and genital tracts of pigs.

In humans, the most common manifestation is purulent meningitis (96%) with common symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, stiff neck, and impaired perception. 68% of cases of purulent meningitis have symptoms of tinnitus and deafness.

Severe cases can rapidly progress to septic shock syndrome, circulatory collapse, hypotension, severe coagulation disorders, hemorrhagic necrosis, embolism, multiple organ failure... coma and death.

To prevent Streptococcus suis, doctors recommend that people cook pork thoroughly. Do not eat dead pigs, do not eat raw dishes, especially pig blood pudding. Use protective equipment (gloves) when slaughtering and processing raw pork.