Vibrio cholerae Bacteraemia: Report of Two Cases
Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhuri
Department of Microbiology, Peerless Hospitex Hospital and Research Center Limited, Kolkata, India.
Amrita Basak
Department of Microbiology, Sarsuna College, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India.
Partha Guchhait
Department of Microbiology, Peerless Hospitex Hospital and Research Center Limited, Kolkata, India.
Sayan Naskar
Department of Microbiology, Sarsuna College, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India.
Anupam Das
Department of Quality Assurance, Peerless Hospitex Hospital and Research Center Limited, Kolkata, India.
Satadal Das *
Department of Microbiology, Peerless Hospitex Hospital and Research Center Limited, Kolkata, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: Case reports on Vibrio cholerae bacteraemia are extremely rare and thus such cases should be presented for a proper understanding of the mechanism of these rare conditions.
Presentation of Cases: One male patient aged 67 years was suffering from vomiting, hiccups, fever with chills and weakness. The post-liver transplant patient was also suffering from diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. There was evidence of acute phase inflammatory reactions. Blood culture revealed polymyxin B sensitive Vibrio cholerae. After treatment, patient became normal and was discharged. Another male patient aged 68 years was suffering from jaundice, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever. The post-cholecystectomy patient was also suffering from COPD. LFT and P-time were grossly abnormal with 1.94x105/ml HBV DNA. CT scan of the lungs showed bronchiectasis, fibrosis and emphysema. Blood culture revealed polymyxin B-resistant Vibrio cholerae. Gradually severe metabolic acidosis and congestive cardiac failure developed and the patient expired.
Discussion: Male dominance of Vibrio cholerae bacteraemia as observed also by others was probably due to protection in females by oestrogen; polymyxin B sensitivity, invasion of tissue from colonization and comorbidity conditions may be important factors for treatment outcome.
Conclusion: Vibrio cholerae bacteraemia, although rare, may be present in difficult-to-treat cases.
Keywords: Vibrio cholerae bacteraemia, case presentation, polymyxin B, oestrogen