On 7 January 2025, Dr. Panumas Yanawetsakul, Director-General of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), mentioned the case of a villager who died from eating raw pork at a New Year’s merit-making event, and several others became ill. Initial investigations into the disease in Nang Rong District, Buriram Province, found villagers who were at risk, including those who ate raw pork and raw pork salad at the event, as well as those who butchered pork and cooked food that came into contact with raw pork and pork blood. One person died and another person went into a coma. As for the rest who are asymptomatic, they must be closely monitored for symptoms. If they have any unusual symptoms, they should see a doctor immediately to receive timely treatment. “We would like to remind the public to avoid eating raw or undercooked pork because if infected with raw swine fever, it may cause hearing loss, or what is called deafness, to the point of permanent deafness or death,” said Dr. Panumas.

Raw swine fever is caused by eating undercooked pork or pork blood contaminated with Streptococcus suis. This bacterium is found in the respiratory tract of pigs and the blood of sick pigs. It can be transmitted through wounds, scratches on the body or through the mucous membranes of the eyes, or through contact with the blood of sick pigs. After being infected for about 1-14 days, infected people will have a high fever, severe headache, dizziness to the point of being unable to balance, vomiting, stiff neck, and hearing loss. In severe cases, it can cause death.

Dr. Panumas added that the methods to prevent raw swine fever are as follows:

1. Eat only cooked pork or pork blood, heated to at least 60-70 degrees Celsius [140 to 158 deg F] for at least 10 minutes.
2. Grilled food should have separate utensils used to pick up raw and cooked pork, and the principle of “cooked, hot, clean” should be adhered to.
3. Do not share cutting boards for raw and cooked food, vegetables, or fruits.
4. Buy pork from a reliable source with standards. Do not buy from unknown sources. Do not buy pork with a strong smell or dark color.
5. Do not touch raw pork and blood with bare hands, especially pig farmers, slaughterhouse workers, pork butchers, livestock breeders, and veterinarians. While working, wear rubber boots and gloves. If there is a wound, it must be covered tightly and washed after touching the pig every time.
6. If you have symptoms of illness and suspect raw pork fever, such as high fever, headache, and a history of exposure, please see a doctor immediately. Inform them of your history of eating raw pork and touching raw pork.

If you see a doctor and get diagnosed quickly, and receive antibiotics quickly, it will help reduce the rate of deafness and death, especially in high-risk groups who, if infected, will have severe symptoms because the body has low immunity, such as chronic alcoholics, people with underlying diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, cancer, heart disease, or people who have had their spleen removed.