Two Cases of Severe Sepsis Due to Vibrio Vulnificus Wound Infection Acquired in the Baltic Sea

Overview

Journal Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis

Publisher Springer

Specialties Infectious Diseases
Microbiology

Date 2004 Dec 16

PMID 15599654

Citations 14

Authors

J Ruppert

B Panzig

L Guertler

P Hinz

G Schwesinger

S B Felix

S Friesecke

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Two severe cases of Vibrio vulnificus wound infection with secondary septicemia occurred during 1 week in August 2003 on the German island of Usedom in the southwestern Baltic Sea. In both cases, pre-existing wounds were inoculated by wading in contaminated sea water. One of the patients died from septic multiorgan failure. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first fatality due to a V. vulnificus infection to have occurred in Germany. Microbiological analysis revealed high concentrations of V. vulnificus in sea water along the coastline, following a period when water temperature exceeded 20 degrees C for more than 2 weeks.

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