Four USA Health internal medicine physicians-in-training recently published an article on Cureus, a web-based medical journal, about infections in people with underlying liver diseases.
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Fluoroscopic angiogram showing coil embolization of splenic artery |
The article, titled “Vibrio vulnificus causing severe multiorgan failure in a patient with underlying cirrhosis,” follows v. vulnificus, a bacterium that is found in raw shellfish like oysters. While typically it does not pose a threat, people who have liver disease are more likely to have a serious and potentially fatal reaction to the bacterium.
Cirrhosis is a liver condition in which scar tissue replaces healthy tissue cells, weakening the immune system and increasing iron levels in the body. The article details a case study of a patient who presented symptoms of septic shock after v. vulnificus entered the body. As a result, the patient experienced severe organ failure. The patient also developed severe thrombocytopenia, a condition causing a decrease in platelet levels.
In the article, the residents emphasized the importance of managing v. vulnificus infection efficiently to prevent fatal reactions as seen in this case. The study urges awareness of bacteria found in raw shellfish, especially to those more prone to serious infection.The case study was published under the supervision of Philip Almalouf, M.D., a pulmonologist with USA Health and an assistant professor of internal medicine at the Whiddon College of Medicine.
