title: Fatal Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in the Felty syndrome: a maltreatment-suspected case.
abstract: Familial neglect was suspected when an older deceased female was found to have large decubitus ulcers and weight loss. Postmortem examinations including histopathology and bacterial culture revealed systemic Staphylococcus aureus infection as the cause of death. The victim might have exhibited Felty syndrome, which is characterized by complications of splenomegaly and neutropenia in the underlying rheumatoid arthritis. As a result of neutropenia, the affected individual was susceptible to skin ulcer formation and sepsis. The manifestation of pressure ulcers as abuse biomarkers should also be explored from interaction with intrinsic disease factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seto
authors.forename: Iwao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Motoki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001344:Autopsy; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005258:Felty Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus