Hospitalized for meningitis after eating rabbit blood pudding

The patients include: LC born in 1994, TVH born in 1981, N.D.T born in 1995, NTK born in 1985, all residing in Dak Mil district, Dak Nong province.

According to the patients, 15 days ago, they went to a restaurant to buy rabbit blood pudding and other dishes made from rabbit meat to drink. A week later, due to symptoms of fever, headache, fatigue, and weak limbs, patient TVH went to the doctor and got medicine but did not get better, so he was hospitalized at Buon Ma Thuot University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital.

At 4:00 p.m. on March 24, the patient was transferred to the Central Highlands General Hospital with a diagnosis of viral meningitis.

On March 26 and March 31, the Central Highlands General Hospital continued to admit patients NTK and N.D.T with fever of unknown origin and monitoring for meningitis. On April 1, patient LC was also admitted to the hospital with a similar condition.

According to Dr. H'Nuen H'Đơk, Deputy Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Central Highlands General Hospital, after receiving the patients, they realized that all four people had eaten rabbit blood pudding and had similar symptoms of mild fever, headache, nausea, and weakness in the limbs, so they suspected that they were infected with brain flukes. Therefore, the doctors urgently performed a cerebrospinal fluid puncture.

As a result, all were infected with parasites. Clinical symptoms and incubation period showed that the patients could be infected with roundworm parasites - which usually parasitize the lungs of rats.

After determining the cause of the disease, the patients are currently being treated according to the Ministry of Health's regimen, with specific treatment lasting two to three weeks to kill the parasites.

Doctor H'Nuen H'Đơk recommends: Meningitis caused by parasitic infection is often caused by infectious agents entering mainly through the digestive tract by absorbing raw food containing pathogens.

Therefore, people who have the habit of eating raw food such as blood pudding, salad, nem chao, raw meat... need to be vigilant. It is best to eat cooked food and drink boiled water to prevent disease. When you see unusual symptoms, you need to quickly go to a medical facility for examination, diagnosis and timely treatment.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nhap-vien-cap-cuu-vi-mac-viem-mang-nao-sau-khi-an-tiet-canh-tho-post869325.html