Vibrio cholerae O2 sepsis in a patient with AIDS

Vibrio cholerae strains other than O1 and 0139 (non-O1 Vibrio cholerae) are associated with sporadic diarrheal disorders and limited outbreaks of diarrhea and have often been reported in association with extraintestinal infections. The following is a presentation of a fatal case of non-O1 Vibrio cholerae septicemia with disseminated intravascular coagulation and cutaneous bullous lesions that occurred in a patient infected with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In order to prevent Vibrio cholerae infection, patients with underlying diseases should be warned of the risk factors for acquiring such infection, including consumption of raw shellfish and exposure to sea and fresh water where shellfish are found.