title: Vibrio vulnificus septicaemia.
abstract: Vibrio vulnificus is an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing a fulminant septicaemia in susceptible patients. Underlying chronic diseases such as liver impairment and immunosuppression are important factors contributing to the severity of the infection and outcome. Early suspicion and diagnosis with appropriate antibiotic therapy is important as delay can adversely affect outcome. For those who develop tissue necrotizing fasciitis, early surgical debridement is recommended to allow better penetration of antibiotics and also to reduce the severity of the septicaemia. Mortality is quoted as between 50% and 90%. Current antibiotic recommendations are intravenous ceftazidime 2 g tds and doxycycline 100 mg od.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Surgical Intensive Care, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Sie
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ip-yam
authors.forename: L L E
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Oon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003646:Debridement; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017747:Seafood / Q000382:microbiology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014733:Vibrio / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents