[Primary bacterial infection of an artery].
BACKGROUND
Primary bacterial infection of an artery is difficult to diagnose, especially at the beginning of the illness. Most of the patients come for emergency treatment in the phase of rupture.


METHODS
The course of illness in four patients serves as background for discussion of the problems of diagnosis and therapy.


RESULTS
Bacterial infection of arteries shows a high rate of complications and, for the aorta, high mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
If fever of uncertain origin is combined with pain of the stomach or of the back, or with a painful reddish swelling on a limb, this rare disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
Tiesenhausen
K
K
Klinische Abteilung für Gefässchirurgie, Universitätsklinik Graz.
Amann
W
W
Thalhammer
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000785:Aneurysm, Infected / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D001025:Aortitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001167:Arteritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors