Health authorities have warned people to avoid eating raw or under-cooked pork following an increase in cases of infection with the swine bacterium streptococcus suis.
The germ, commonly found in pigs, sometimes infects people, often causing hearing loss, according to the Department of Disease Control (DDC).
From January to March 23 this year, there were 44 cases of S suis infection and eight of them fatal. Nakhon Ratchasima and Nakhon Sawan reported three deaths each while Sukhothai and Chai Nat reported one fatal case each.
Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, head of the DDC, said health officials are concerned about infections especially during the Songkran holiday when people return home and throw parties. People should be careful with their food especially raw pork, which is used in local dishes, or under-cooked pork.
The S suis bacterium is found mostly in pigs' internal organs, intestines and blood and its ingestion can make people sick.
People who develop fever, dizziness, severe headaches and stomach ache should seek medical attention, he said, adding that other symptoms include muscle pains, stiffness of the neck and vomiting.