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Two cases of severe sepsis due to Vibrio vulnificus wound infection acquired in the Baltic Sea

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases volume 23, pages 912–915 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Two severe cases of Vibrio vulnificus wound infection with secondary septicemia occurred during 1 week in August 2003 on the German island of Usedom in the southwestern Baltic Sea. In both cases, pre-existing wounds were inoculated by wading in contaminated sea water. One of the patients died from septic multiorgan failure. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first fatality due to a V. vulnificus infection to have occurred in Germany. Microbiological analysis revealed high concentrations of V. vulnificus in sea water along the coastline, following a period when water temperature exceeded 20°C for more than 2 weeks.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank U. Sill, MD, for the photograph. We would also like to thank our colleagues at the Wolgast Community Hospital for their cooperation and provision of clinical data. We likewise thank M. Littmann, MD, of the Health Authority of Mecklenburg and West Pommerania, for her cooperation

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine B, University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Loeffler-Strasse 23, 17489, Greifswald, Germany

    J. Ruppert, S. B. Felix & S. Friesecke

  2. Loeffler Institute for Medical Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Martin-Luther-Strasse 6, 17489, Greifswald, Germany

    B. Panzig & L. Guertler

  3. Department of Surgery, University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Loeffler-Strasse 23, 17489, Greifswald, Germany

    P. Hinz

  4. Institute of Pathology, University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Loeffler-Strasse 23, 17489, Greifswald, Germany

    G. Schwesinger

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  1. J. Ruppert
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  2. B. Panzig
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  3. L. Guertler
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  4. P. Hinz
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  5. G. Schwesinger
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  6. S. B. Felix
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  7. S. Friesecke
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Correspondence to J. Ruppert.

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Ruppert, J., Panzig, B., Guertler, L. et al. Two cases of severe sepsis due to Vibrio vulnificus wound infection acquired in the Baltic Sea. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 23, 912–915 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-004-1241-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-004-1241-2

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