HK government issues scarlet fever alert

[penguinsix]

http://www.news.gov.hk/en/categories/health/html/2011/06/20110620_105843.shtml

Centre for Health Protection Controller Dr Thomas Tsang urges the public to guard against scarlet fever, forecasting more infections during the summer.

He said 419 cases have been recorded so far this year, well above the historic baseline. He said the high activity is a regional phenomenon, with many cases recorded on the Mainland and in Macau.

The bacterial infection is caused by Group A streptococcus. Dr Tsang said the serotype M12 of the bacteria is dominant in this year?s cases.

?Over 90% of cases this year affected children aged under 10, with the majority in the age group of four to seven years.?

A new gene segment has been found in one of the isolates that gives the bacteria an increased ability to spread among humans.

?It may explain why there are higher number of cases this year,? Dr Tsang said, adding the centre will analyse test results and notify doctors, and Mainland and Macau authorities, of the findings.

He urged people to watch their personal hygiene. Parents of children with fever and sore throat should seek medical advice immediately.

According to other reports there have been two scarlet fever related deaths.

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?sid=32658432&art_id=111921&con_type=1&pp_cat=11

 

[Treyfish]

Re: HK government issues scarlet fever alert

Variant of scarlet fever outbreak on campus
Centre for Health Protection commissioned the University of Hong Kong research, and finally break this unusual outbreak of scarlet fever cause pathogen was found in Group A Streptococcus with variations, more than one of our unprecedented gene, can enhance the transmission capacity.

Centre for Health Protection yesterday warned that the outbreak of scarlet fever this year is "the most severe year" is expected to peak period will be extended to the entire summer, do not rule out the bacteria will be on campus after the outbreak of the risk variant, again and again to remind students to keep Gerenweisheng.
Pediatric specialists Xie Hongxing Hong Kong Medical Association called for doctors to forgo for the scarlet fever patients has shown a resistance to the antibiotic erythromycin prescription.

Antibiotic erythromycin resistant
..Dr Tsang stressed that the vast majority of mild cases of scarlet fever, but can be complicated by septicemia, meningitis or pneumonia, severe cases even death. At present only 10% of cases the disease on campus, but the additional bacterial genes can be spread by sex, do not rule out future outbreak of scarlet fever on campus...:tiphat:http://translate.google.com/transla...1&u=http://orientaldaily.on.cc/&sl=auto&tl=en

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[penguinsix]

Re: HK government issues scarlet fever alert

The recent death of a five-year-old is now being investigated as a possible scarlet fever death.

http://www.news.gov.hk/en/categories/health/html/2011/06/20110621_142959.shtml

If confirmed, this would be the second death from scarlet fever. Apparently earlier news reports did not pan out about a 15-year-old who passed away (I have not seen anything definitive).

 

[Emily]

Re: HK government issues scarlet fever alert

The boy that passed away had chicken pox according to this report, but they are still awaiting bacteria testing:
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-06-hong-kong-declares-scarlet-fever.html

This article reports the bacteria is still responsive to penicillin:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/21/health-scarletfever-china-idUSL3E7HL17K20110621