Vibrio vulnificus
A Gastronomic Hazard
- Jeffrey M. Johnston, MD;
- W. Abe Andes, MD;
- Gary Glasser, MD
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
Excerpt
VIBRIO vulnificus, one of the many halophilic Vibrio species that inhabit littoral waters worldwide,1,2 causes primary septicemia and wound infections,3 with cases reported from Japan, Belgium, and the United States.4,5 The mortality rate among recognized cases of V vulnificus septicemia is almost 50%, and many of the survivors have permanent sequelae.3 The source of infection is presumed to be the marine environment6; however, the route of acquisition has been debated.4,7,8 In this report, we describe a case of V vulnificus septicemia in a leukemic patient who consumed raw oysters. The organism was also isolated from a sample of leftover oysters in the patient's refrigerator.
Report of a Case A 73-year-old man with acute myeloblastic leukemia in relapse was admitted to the hospital on Oct 14, 1981, with the sudden onset of fever, chills, and sweats 18 hours after eating 2½ dozen raw oysters. He
Footnotes
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Reprint requests to Department of Health and Human Resources, Division of Disease Control, PO Box 60630, Room 615, New Orleans, LA 70160 (Dr Johnston).
