Vibrio vulnificus Sepsis: An Autopsy Case.

Na, Joo Young; Park, Jeong Woo; Oh, Yeon Ho; Ahn, Eu Ree; Kim, Hyung Seok; Park, Jong Tae; Huh, Gi Yeong

doi:2015.39.2.45

Korean J Leg Med > Volume 39(2); 2015 > Article

Case Report

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 2015;39(2):45-48.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2015.39.2.45 Published online May 31, 2015.

Vibrio vulnificus Sepsis: An Autopsy Case.

Joo Young Na, Jeong Woo Park, Yeon Ho Oh, Eu Ree Ahn, Hyung Seok Kim, Jong Tae Park, Gi Yeong Huh

¹Forensic Medicine Division, Gwangju Institute, National Forensic Service, Jangseong, Korea. pdrdream@gmail.com
²Forensic DNA Division, National Forensic Service, Wonju, Korea.
³Department of Forensic Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
⁴Institute of Forensic Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Abstract

Vibrio vulnificus infection can lead to the rapid expansion of cellulitis or sepsis and can be lethal. Vibrio vulnificus is transmitted through seawater or ingestion of raw or undercooked shellfish. We experienced an uncommon case of death due to Vibrio sepsis, which was confirmed by autopsy. A 56-year-old man who was a sailor was found dead in a fishing boat. Autopsy was performed 3 days later. External examination revealed a few blisters and erythematous lesions on both legs. Internal examination revealed a fatty liver and edema of the legs. The skin lesions on the legs showed blisters that extended from the epidermis to the dermis, accompanied by massive acute inflammation in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue with multinuclear giant cells, as noted on the histologic examination. Vibrio vulnificus was isolated from postmortem blood and subcutaneous tissue of the leg. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first autopsy case in Korea in which Vibrio vulnificus was isolated from postmortem blood. Herein, we present a case of sepsis due to Vibrio vulnificus which was confirmed by autopsy, pathological findings, and postmortem microbiological culture.

Key Words: Autopsy, Vibrio vulnificus, Sepsis, Pathology, Microbiology