title: Vibrio vulnificus infection.
abstract: We report 3 cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections from Taiwan. Patient 1, who manifested symptoms of primary septicemia, died after 2 days. Patient 2, who had a wound infection and signs and symptoms of sepsis but negative blood cultures, responded to tobramycin and chloramphenicol plus surgical debridement, and recovered after 26 days of hospitalization. Patient 3 had secondary septicemia originating from a wound inflicted by a shrimp. Originally, the patient seemed to respond to ceftazidime and amikacin treatment along with surgical debridement, but subsequently died from adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced by several episodes of aspiration which occurred after initial clinical improvements. We conclude that, for patients with severe wounds and evidence of V. vulnificus infection, an appropriate, powerful antibiotic, such as one of the third generation cephalosporins should be used as initial therapy unless the nature of the infection indicates other treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004890:Erythema / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012872:Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D013624:Taiwan; D014733:Vibrio / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations