By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) reports investigating a cluster of Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) infection in dialysis patients.

Scanning Electron Micrograph of Burkholderia cepacia/CDC

The Department of Health says the Hospital Authority (HA) notified them that the Kowloon East Cluster (KEC) had identified the cluster. Investigations by the KEC renal teams identified BCC from the clinical specimens collected from the catheter exit site of five peritoneal dialysis patients from late March to mid-June this year. The affected persons involved three males and two females, aged 23 to 67. One patient developed peritonitis and was hospitalized for treatment. He had been discharged and the other four patients had recovered after management.

According to the surveillance by the HA, BCC was identified in some samples of the same lot (lot number: 19090428) of a spray dressing named JUC found to be used by the patients for skin disinfection and catheter exit site care. The DH urges members of the public not to use the product for wound care because the product may be contaminated by bacteria.

Based on the product information, the JUC spray dressing forms a physical film on skin or wound surface. It is classified as a medical device based on the mode of action. The product is manufactured by NMS Technologies Co., Ltd and distributed by JUC Biomaterial Co. Ltd.  The distributor is voluntarily recalling the affected lot of the product from the market and has set up a hotline (2559 5227) to answer related inquiries

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), B. cepacia poses the greatest threat to hospitalized patients, critically ill patients and people with health problems such as weakened immune systems and chronic lung diseases. The symptoms of B. cepacia infections vary widely from none at all to serious respiratory infections. It can spread from person-to-person by direct contact and is often resistant to common antibiotics.