Editorial | Be on guard against spread of superbug

Hong Kong health professionals have declared war on a superbug that threatens safety in hospitals. In just a matter of weeks, there have been at least 16 cases of Candida auris, a fungus that may cause infection and even death in individuals with impaired immunity. The enhanced control measures put in place are necessary steps to safeguard public health.

The health authorities have no shortage of experience in fighting superbugs. But there are reasons to be concerned. The pathogen, first identified in a local traveller admitted to hospital in mid-May for blood clotting in his lung, has since been found in 15 other patients. They only carried the bug without any sign of infection. But officials still seem to have no idea how the cases came about. Given the authorities are already grappling with superbug infections that result in about 700 deaths each year in public hospitals, efforts must be made to contain Candida auris.

Common in the natural environment, Candida auris can spread in hospitals via contaminated medical devices, making those undergoing surgeries or other invasive procedures vulnerable. It is usually found in body parts such as the oral cavity, the digestive tract, skin and vagina. Clinical presentations vary from mild to fatal infections, depending on the affected area and patients’ health. Adding to the challenge is its high resistance to many anti-fungal drugs. More than 20 countries in Asia, Europe, America, Africa and Australia have already been affected, with hospitals reporting average fatality rates of 30 per cent.

If there is any comfort, it would be the fact that Candida auris spreads in hospitals and is not a community-wide disease. But its growing resistance to drugs and Hong Kong’s status as an international travel hub mean we are always exposed to the risk. It therefore makes sense for the Hospital Authority to raise its guard, including screening all patients who were admitted to hospitals overseas in the past year and are going to stay in high-risk wards such as intensive care units, isolating those infected and enhancing environmental hygiene.