NECROTISING FASCIITIS SECONDARY TO VIBRIO VULNIFICUS INFECTION: A CASE REPORT.

FOO KT, PANG GMH, FOO CH

Department of Orthopaedics, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

ABSTRACT

Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium that could cause severe to life-threatening infection. This is a case report of a woman with underlying myelodysplastic syndrome, presented with sudden onset of pain and swelling over her right middle finger, associated with bullae formation and high grade fever. Patient’s condition deteriorated and she developed septic shock secondary to necrotizing fasciitis of right hand. Empirical intravenous antibiotic was started immediately and she was transferred to a tertiary hospital, where emergency wound debridement and ray amputation of her right middle finger was done. Her blood culture grew V.vulnificus and the antibiotic was escalated according to culture’s sensitivity test. With proper wound care and intravenous antibiotics in the ward, the patient subsequently recovered and was discharged home well. Early establishment of diagnosis and prompt treatment is crucial in determining the patient’s outcome.

Keywords: Amputation, Debridement, Necrotizing fasciitis, , Severe sepsis, Vibrio vulnificus.

Correspondence: Dr. FOO Kuok Thong (MBBS), Department of Orthopaedics, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 13a, Jalan Penampang 88200, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Phone: +60124872220;  Fax: +6088517555

Email: kuokthong@hotmail.com

Brunei Int Med J. 2018;14:167-171