Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has sounded the alarm over a recent outbreak of Streptococcus suis, a bacterial infection more commonly known as “deafness fever” due to its risk of causing permanent hearing loss.
According to The Nation Thailand, 14 people in the northern province of Phrae have fallen ill thus far, and two have died, most of them after consuming larb moo, a popular dish made from raw minced pork.
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Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin urged anyone experiencing high fever or muscle aches — especially after eating or handling raw pork — to seek immediate medical help.
Delays in treatment, he warned, could lead to irreversible hearing loss or even death.
The outbreak highlights the ongoing danger posed by traditional raw pork delicacies, which remain popular despite repeated health warnings.
Source: The Nation Thailand
This isn’t the first time the country has grappled with the disease.
In 2023 alone, over 500 infections were reported, with 24 people dying from the illness, said the Bangkok Post. Many of the cases were linked to raw pork dishes like larb dib (raw pig’s blood salad) and loo, another traditional delicacy made from uncooked meat.
Chefs were also among those infected, particularly those who had open wounds and handled contaminated pork.
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A 2023 study in Chiang Mai revealed that 84% of raw pork samples from local markets tested positive for Streptococcus suis, with a third containing serotype 2, the strain most associated with severe illness.
These pathogens cause serious diseases like the “deafness fever”.
In addition to S. suis, raw pork has also been connected to trichinosis, a parasitic infection considered one of the most common food-bourne diseases in Thailand.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms of trichinosis include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain.
Also read: 187 food poisoning cases in S’pore linked to ready-to-eat meals, all treated without hospitalisation
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