Septic arthritis as the initial manifestation of fatal Vibrio vulnificus septicemia in a patient with thalassemia and iron overload.

Chang-Hung Kuo, Zen-Kong Dai, Jiunn-Ren Wu, Tsyh-Jyi Hsieh, Chih-Hsing Hung, Jong-Hau Hsu

Journal: Pediatric blood & cancer 2009;53(6):1156-8

PMID: 19591224

Full Text on Ovid Technologies, Inc. View on PubMed

Abstract

Vibrio vulnificus infection is an uncommon but potentially fatal disease in children such that prompt recognition has prognostic implications. We describe here the case of a 9-year-old female with thalassemia and iron overload who presented with septic arthritis as an atypical initial manifestation of fatal V. vulnificus septicemia. This report underscores the possibility of septic arthritis as an early manifestation of V. vulnificus septicemia. Pediatricians should be alert to this extremely invasive disease, especially in children with iron overload.

Address: Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

DOI: 10.1002/pbc.22176

Link outs

Free resources

Medical:

https://medlineplus.gov/thalassemia.html

Subscription / membership required

Full Text Sources:

MeSH Terms: Arthritis, Infectious, Child, Fatal Outcome, Female, Humans, Iron Overload, Knee Joint, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Sepsis, Thalassemia, Vibrio vulnificus