title: Fatal septicemia and endotoxic shock due to Aeromonas hydrophila.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although rare, bloodstream infections caused by Aeromonas tend to be very severe and progress rapidly.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of an 81-year-old man with fetal septicemia and endotoxin shock caused by Aeromonas hydrophila. The patient had dilated cardiomyopathy, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, interstitial pneumonitis and renal dysfunction was admitted to our hospital with chest pain and dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated impaired left ventricular wall motion and severe mitral regurgitation due to tethering. Cardiac catheterization revealed severe stenotic lesions in the left anterior descending artery and the right coronary artery. Surgery for coronary artery bypass grafts and mitral annuloplasty were performed. However, 2 days after surgery, he suddenly developed a high-grade fever and his hemodynamics deteriorated rapidly. His blood cultures revealed gram-negative Bacillus and the endotoxin concentration in the blood was elevated. Despite intensive support efforts, the patient died 1 day after the sudden change. His blood culture revealed A. hydrophila.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whenever Aeromonas is found in a patient's bloodstream, clinicians should start appropriate and intensive treatment immediately.
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Internal Medicine, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo City, Shimane, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wake
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugamori
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshitomi
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shono
authors.forename: Teiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oda
keywords: Aeromonas hydrophila; endotoxin; septicemia