Fatal diarrheal disease caused by Vibrio cholerae O67 in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome

Intern Med. 2013;52(14):1635-9. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.52.0398. Epub 2013 Jul 15.

Abstract

A 71-year-old man with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) receiving treatment with azacitidine developed extensive watery diarrhea for three consecutive days. As a result of high-grade dehydration, the patient was urgently admitted to the hospital and fluid replacement therapy was initiated. However, the patient's diarrhea did not improve. Vibrio cholerae non-O1/non-O139 was detected in a fecal culture. On the fourth day, the patient died due to circulatory collapse. An autopsy revealed extensive necrosis of the intestinal mucosa. Vibrio cholerae non-O1/non-O139-induced diarrheal disease often develops in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and has a serious clinical course. We herein report a fatal outcome of Vibrio cholerae O67 infection in an immunocompromised MDS patient.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cholera / complications
  • Cholera / diagnosis*
  • Cholera / microbiology
  • Diarrhea / diagnosis*
  • Diarrhea / etiology
  • Diarrhea / microbiology
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / complications
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / diagnosis*
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / microbiology
  • Vibrio cholerae* / isolation & purification