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Hyperammonemia in a patient with obstructive urinary tract infection due to Corynebacterium urealyticum

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Central European Journal of Medicine

Abstract

A 93-year-old woman with neurogenic bladder was admitted to our hospital because of impaired consciousness. Her urine culture revealed urease-test-positive Corynebacterium urealyticum. She was diagnosed with hyperammonemia due to an obstructive urinary tract infection that was caused by urease-producing bacteria. The patient showed rapid improvement of impaired consciousness and hyperammonemia after urine analysis. It is necessary to consider obstructive urinary tract infection as a differential diagnosis of hyperammonemia, which commonly occurs in urinary tract infections owing to the presence of urease-producing bacteria. Relief from obstruction is the most important treatment for hyperammonemia caused by this mechanism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Medicine, Center for Community Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan

    Tsuneaki Kenzaka, Ayako Kumabe & Yuka Urushibara

  2. Department of General Medicine, Toyooka Public Hospital, Toyooka, Hyogo, 668-0851, Japan

    Kensuke Minami

  3. First Department of Integrated Medicine, Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Saitama, 330-8503, Japan

    Takeshi Ishida

Authors
  1. Tsuneaki Kenzaka
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  2. Ayako Kumabe
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  3. Yuka Urushibara
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  4. Kensuke Minami
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  5. Takeshi Ishida
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Correspondence to Tsuneaki Kenzaka.

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Kenzaka, T., Kumabe, A., Urushibara, Y. et al. Hyperammonemia in a patient with obstructive urinary tract infection due to Corynebacterium urealyticum . cent.eur.j.med 8, 597–599 (2013). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11536-013-0202-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11536-013-0202-5

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