Necrotizing fasciitis caused by Vibrio vulnificus differs from that caused by streptococcal infection
We reviewed the clinical record of all patients admitted to Saga Medical School Hospital during the most recent 10 years and found that 17 (0.03%) were diagnosed as having necrotizing fasciitis. Bacteriological examination demonstrated that Vibrio vulnificus was the pathogen responsible in five pati...
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Published in | The Journal of infection Vol. 36; no. 3; pp. 313 - 316 |
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Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Kidlington
Elsevier Ltd
01.05.1998
Elsevier |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | We reviewed the clinical record of all patients admitted to Saga Medical School Hospital during the most recent 10 years and found that 17 (0.03%) were diagnosed as having necrotizing fasciitis. Bacteriological examination demonstrated that
Vibrio vulnificus was the pathogen responsible in five patients (29%). The disease caused by
V. vulnificus occurred in the warmer half of the year. All of the patients had underlying chronic liver dysfunction, and three of them had previously consumed raw seafood. In these patients, the predominant skin lesions were oedema and subcutaneous bleeding, such as ecchymosis and purpura, while superficial necrosis was not recognized. Three patients died of systemic complications. By contrast, all of the five patients with necrotizing fasciitis caused by
Streptococcus pyogenes had the disorder in winter, and only one of them had chronic liver dysfunction. In skin lesions, subcutaneous bleeding was rare but necrosis was seen often. Despite the high incidence of systemic complications, no patients with streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis died. These findings suggest that the clinical features of necrotizing fasciitis caused by
V. vulnificus are different from those of necrotizing fasciitis caused by classical pathogens, and that the two should be differentiated as early as possible to improve the prognosis. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 |
ISSN: | 0163-4453 1532-2742 |
DOI: | 10.1016/S0163-4453(98)94387-0 |