Unexpected Cholera Bacteremia in a 91 Year Old Caucasian Male Patient

ABSTRACT Cholera is an illness caused by Vibrio cholerae; its main symptom is acute watery diarrhea. Some infections are asymptomatic or result in patients presenting with mild diarrhea, but complications, such as bacteremia, can be fatal. Being endemic in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Haiti, V. chole...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Laboratory medicine 2020-11, Vol.51 (6), p.e71-e74
Main Authors: Thwe, Phyu M, Schilling, Matthew, Reynoso, David, Ren, Ping
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteremia
Cholera
Cholera toxin
Diarrhea
Health aspects
Mass spectrometry
Ribosomal RNA
Tetracycline
Tetracyclines
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Summary:ABSTRACT Cholera is an illness caused by Vibrio cholerae; its main symptom is acute watery diarrhea. Some infections are asymptomatic or result in patients presenting with mild diarrhea, but complications, such as bacteremia, can be fatal. Being endemic in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Haiti, V. cholerae infection cases in the United States are primarily considered travel-related. Herein, we report a case of a 91 year old Caucasian man, a Texas Gulf Coast resident, who developed bacteremia due to V. cholerae despite having no international travel history. Culture workup by mass spectrometry, automated biochemical system, and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing confirmed V. cholerae. This case conveys an important reminder to clinicians and laboratory professionals regarding potentially serious cholera illnesses due to the domestic prevalence of V. cholerae in the coastal regions of the United States.
ISSN:0007-5027
1943-7730
DOI:10.1093/labmed/lmaa028