Purple-black leg necrosis, liver and kidney failure caused by bacteria found in seawater

The Tropical Disease Center - Bach Mai Hospital is treating Mr. Luu Cong Ch. (62 years old, from Giao Thuy, Nam Dinh) who works in saltwater shrimp farming. Two days before being admitted to the hospital, Mr. Ch. had cleaned and sanitized his family's shrimp farming area. Afterwards, this man developed black necrotic blisters on his right leg, accompanied by high fever and fatigue.

He went to Nam Dinh General Hospital and was diagnosed with septic shock with many black necrotic blisters spreading to his lower legs. Due to the patient's severe condition, including shock and metabolic acidosis, he was transferred to Bach Mai Hospital.

Dr. Nguyen Quang Huy - Center for Tropical Diseases, who directly treated the patient, shared that Mr. Ch. was hospitalized on August 18 in a state of shock, sepsis, had to maintain vasomotor function, and had a purple-black blister rash on his right leg.

Associate Professor, Dr. Do Duy Cuong and Master, Dr. Nguyen Quang Huy are examining a patient.

The doctor determined that this was a severe blood infection that could be caused by bacteria that live in saltwater, including Aeromonas hydrophila and Vibrio vulnificus. The results of the leg pus culture test showed that the patient was infected with Vibrio vulnificus. After 6 days of treatment at the Tropical Disease Center, the patient's condition has gradually stabilized.

Mr. Ch's legs are less swollen, he does not need to use a vasopressor and is out of danger. The patient can also eat and talk on his own. However, the blisters continue to ooze fluid on the patient's diabetic and cirrhotic background, so the doctors must continue to monitor him.

Associate Professor, Dr. Do Duy Cuong, Director of the Center for Tropical Diseases, said that cases of infection caused by Vibrio vulnificus are often very severe. In recent years, the Center has received 2-3 cases of fishermen at sea each year, and these patients often go into septic shock, with rapidly progressing damage leading to multiple organ failure. Many cases have been treated with dialysis, but the mortality rate is very high.

Image of patient's purple-black legs upon admission to hospital

Vibrio vulnificus is a type of bacteria that lives in saltwater and brackish water. People with underlying diseases such as diabetes and immunodeficiency are susceptible to this type of bacteria. This type of disease is easily confused with other types of sepsis such as streptococcus suis, meningococcus, staphylococcus, streptococcus... Therefore, people need to be vigilant about this disease, especially fishermen working in seafood farming.

Through this case, Associate Professor, Dr. Cuong recommends that people working in saltwater environments should take protective measures such as wearing protective clothing and using appropriate protective equipment. When symptoms of necrotic blisters on the skin, fever, fatigue, etc. appear, they should go to medical facilities for examination and treatment.

According to Vietnamnet