Vibrio vulnificus can cause serious, life-threatening infections, especially in patients with certain risk factors (see previous section). Early diagnosis and aggressive management is important to reduce morbidity and mortality.
Exposure history:
(1) contact with coastal waters, especially of a wound or abrasion
(2) handling raw seafood or sea animals
(3) eating raw or undercooked seafood (with illness onset in 24-48 hours)
(4) no known exposure
Seafood that may be infected:
(1) fish
(2) oysters
(3) clams
(4) shrimp
(5) eels
(6) other shellfish
(7) crabs
Syndromes:
(1) wound infection with cellulitis and necrotic bullae
(2) necrotizing fasciitis and/or gangrene
(3) septicemia with metastatic skin lesions or the sudden onset of multi-organ failure in a patient with a risk factor
(4) gastroenteritis
(5) spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (in patients with cirrhosis)
To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.
