title: Accurate diagnosis and treatment of Vibrio vulnificus infection: a retrospective study of 12 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vibrio vulnificus causes an infectious disease that has extremely poor convalescence and leads to necrotic fasciitis. In this study, we sought to define the characteristic epidemiology of V. vulnificus infection and clarify its diagnosis at the global level.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a period of 10 years, we investigated the appearance of symptoms, underlying conditions, treatment, and mortality in 12 patients (eight men, four women; >50 years old; average age, 66 years,) infected with V. vulnificus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The development of symptoms occurred primarily between June and September, a period during which seawater temperature rises and the prevalence of V. vulnificus increases. All patients had underlying diseases, and seven patients reported a history of consuming fresh fish and uncooked shellfish. The patients developed sepsis and fever with sharp pain in the limbs. Limb abnormalities were observed on visual examination. All patients underwent debridement; however, in the survival group, the involved limb was amputated early in 80% patients. The mortality rate was 58.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognition of the characteristic epidemiology and clinical features of this disease is important, and positive debridement should be performed on suspicion. When the illness reaches an advanced stage, however, amputation should be the immediate treatment of choice.
authors: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Saga Medical School Hospital, Saga, Japan. yoshinori216@h2.dion.ne.jp
authors: Yoshinori
authors: Y
authors: Matsuoka
authors: Yukishi
authors: Y
authors: Nakayama
authors: Tomoko
authors: T
authors: Yamada
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Nakagawachi
authors: Kouichi
authors: K
authors: Matsumoto
authors: Kimihide
authors: K
authors: Nakamura
authors: Kyousuke
authors: K
authors: Sugiyama
authors: Yoshinori
authors: Y
authors: Tanigawa
authors: Yoshinobu
authors: Y
authors: Kakiuchi
authors: Yoshiro
authors: Y
authors: Sakaguchi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003646:Debridement; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents