Critical life after a week of eating pig intestines

The Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases has just admitted a male patient, Mr. TVL, 49 years old, residing in Thai Binh, in a state of facial hemorrhagic necrosis spreading rapidly throughout the body and mainly concentrated in both legs and both arms.

In the early morning of April 13, Mr. L. suddenly had a high fever of 40 degrees Celsius, chills, severe abdominal pain, and had loose, fishy-smelling stools eight times a day. His body was exhausted, aching all over, and his blood pressure dropped sharply.

He was taken to the hospital in critical condition, had to be intubated, had to maintain vasomotor function, and then urgently transferred to the Intensive Care Center, Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

There, he was diagnosed with Streptococcus suis - a dangerous bacteria that can be transmitted from pigs to humans through undercooked food or open wounds.

Master, Doctor Dong Phu Khiem, Deputy Director of the Intensive Care Center, said that the patient was hospitalized in a state of septic shock, with hemorrhagic necrotizing rash spreading throughout the body, especially on the face and limbs.

Mr. L. was immediately treated with antibiotics, fluid resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, blood filtration and transfusion of necessary blood products (platelets, fresh plasma). However, the patient's condition was still very serious, with a poor prognosis and a high risk of death.

According to Dr. Khiem, there is currently no vaccine to prevent Streptococcus suis. If not detected and treated promptly, the disease can leave serious sequelae such as deafness, neurological damage or multiple organ failure. Therefore, early diagnosis and timely treatment are key factors in improving treatment effectiveness and reducing mortality from Streptococcus suis infection in humans.

As a precaution, doctors recommend that people absolutely do not eat blood pudding, pig intestines or any other undercooked pork products. When buying meat, choose products with clear origins, avoid meat with unusual color, signs of edema or bleeding.

People involved in slaughtering and processing pork must wear gloves, masks and clean their hands after contact. If there are open wounds on the hands or feet, they must be covered with waterproof gauze before handling raw food.

Doctor Khiem also noted that with ready-to-eat food bought outside, people should blanch it in boiling water or cook it thoroughly before eating to ensure food hygiene and safety.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nguy-kich-tinh-mang-sau-mot-tuan-an-long-lon-post872325.html