We studied the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of Vibrio vulnificus septicemia in 24 patients from whom the organism has been isolated.
1) All patients came from the coastal or near-coastal area of Pusan and Kyungnam province.
2) Most cases (87%) occurred during the summer months(July, August, September) in men (92%), and in persons 40 or more years of age (88%).
3) The illness began with septicemia, often within 3 days of the consumption of raw seafood (54%) although additional 2 cases had history of consumption of seafood cooked.
4) Twelve patients (55%) had preexisting chronic hepatic diseases, and 16 (73%) had a history of heavy alcoholism.
5) The skin lesions that were present on admission in 21 cases (88%) appeared on the legs in 17(81%) of the cases.
6) V. vulnificus was isolated from the blood (83%) and from the skin lesion (69%).
7) Nineteen of 24 patients (79%) died, of whom mean interval between the onset of illness and death was 4 days.
Leukopenia seemed to be bad prognostic factor (p<0.05).
Because V. vulnificus septicemia is a highly fatal disease, persons with chronic liver disease or alcholism should avoid eating or handling raw weafood.
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