A female patient died from infection with 'flesh-eating' bacteria

On the afternoon of October 23, a leader of the Quang Nam Provincial Department of Health said that he had received a report from Tam Tri Quang Nam General Hospital (located in Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam) about a death case due to infection with "flesh-eating" bacteria (Whitmore disease).

Quang Nam: A female patient died from infection with 'flesh-eating' bacteria

According to the report, at noon on October 11, Tam Tri Quang Nam General Hospital received patient NTTV (47 years old, in Que Phu commune, Que Son district, Quang Nam) who was admitted to the emergency room with high fever, difficulty breathing, fatigue...

Tam Tri Quang Nam General Hospital, where patients are treated

After emergency treatment, the patient was diagnosed with severe pneumonia and monitored for sepsis. The patient had type 1 diabetes and had not been treated for about a year, with complications of acute respiratory failure and acute hyperglycemia.

Immediately afterwards, the patient was assigned paraclinical tests such as tests, X-rays, electrocardiograms, blood cultures, sputum cultures... But because the hospital could not perform blood and sputum cultures, the samples had to be sent to Phan Chau Trinh University Hospital.

At 4:45 p.m. on October 11, due to the worsening of the disease and the severe prognosis, the female patient was transferred to Da Nang Hospital for continued treatment, but by late that night the patient had died.

On October 14, Tam Tri Quang Nam General Hospital received the results of blood and sputum cultures from female patient NTTV, with the results that the patient was infected with the bacteria Burkholederia pseudomallei.

According to the leader of the Department of Health of Quang Nam province, Whitmore disease is an infectious disease in humans and animals caused by the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei.

Whitmore bacteria naturally exist in soil, can contaminate water sources and are transmitted mainly through the skin when open wounds come into direct contact with contaminated soil, mud, or water. The disease has very diverse clinical manifestations, is difficult to diagnose, and can cause death due to complications of severe pneumonia, sepsis, and septic shock.

People with underlying diseases (diabetes, liver, kidney, chronic lung disease, immunodeficiency...) are at high risk of getting the disease. There is currently no vaccine to prevent Whitmore disease.

With a high mortality rate, Whitmore disease is included in the list of top dangerous diseases by the Ministry of Health.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/quang-nam-mot-nu-benh-nhan-tu-vong-do-nhiem-vi-khuan-an-thit-nguoi-185231023131046833.htm