Hospitals have raised warning against rising cases of streptococcus suis infections due to people continuing to eat blood soup and constant contact with raw meat.

A 52-year-old man in has been admitted to Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City after being diagnosed with meningitis at An Giang Province General Hospital. At the time, he had seizures, perceptual disorders, behaviour disorders and bouts of unconsciousness.

Patient infected with strep suis admitted to Cho Ray Hospital

His condition is getting worse until it was found out that he has worked as a butcher for 20 years and might have a streptococcus suis infection. Dr Tran Quang Binh from Cho Ray Hospital said the patient might have been infected through an open wound.

"The bacteria is very toxic. Symptoms will appear within one to five days," he said.

According to HCM City Centre for Preventive Health Care, the city detected 15 cases last year. Nguyen Tri Dung, head of the centre, said most patients were men and butchers or often had contact with raw meat. Even though many of them are saved, 67% are deaf or have poorer vision after the infection.

Blood soup is also one of the cause for streptococcus suis infection. Blood soup is made from raw blood of ducks or geese with peanuts and herbs on top. Eating blood soup in the early month of the year or the first day of the month is believed to bring luck.

 Blood soup is a popular dish in Vietnam

Recently, several people have died because of streptococcus suis infection after eating unhygienic blood soup in the northern region and the number of infected people also increased in the south. Many restaurants have used pig blood instead of duck and often have 20 to 30 litres of blood stored in the restaurant.

"Ducks or geese don’t have that much blood," said Dr Nguyen Hoan Phu from HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

Each year, the hospital receives dozens of streptococcus suis infection cases. 70% of the patients ate blood soup or pig intestines. Raw blood contains a lot of protein and is an ideal environment for various bacteria and the most common harmful bacteria in pig farming.