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Kim and Shin: A Case of Pellagra that Initially Mimics Vibrio Sepsis
Case Report
Infection and Chemotherapy

Infection and Chemotherapy 2008; 40(2): 127-129.

Published online: 20 April 2008

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3947/ic.2008.40.2.127

A Case of Pellagra that Initially Mimics Vibrio Sepsis

Jae Wang Kim, M.D.1, Sang Yop Shin, M.D.2

1Department of Dermatology, Cheju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.

2Department of Infectious Disease, Cheju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.

Correspondence: Sang Yop Shin, M.D. Division of Infectious Disease, Cheju National University Hospital 27 Samdo-2Dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, 690-716, Korea. Tel: +82-64-754-1101, Fax: +82-64-726-0173, imdrshin@medimail.co.kr

Received 28 January 2008       Accepted 4 March 2008

Copyright © 2008 The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases and The Korean Society for Chemotherapy

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Pellagra is a disease caused by a deficiency of niacin. It is usually found among chronic alcoholics in Korea. Dermatitis, dementia and diarrhea are characteristic symptoms of pellagra. Vibrio sepsis is due to a virulent, gram-negative rod infection caused by Vibrio vulnificus. It is generally acquired in coastal areas near warm water. Underlying disease and initial clinical presentations of pellagra are very similar to that of vibrio sepsis. Herein, we report a case of pellagra that initially mimicked vibrio sepsis.

Keywords: Pellagra, Niacin, Vibrio

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
On 2nd day after admission: his skin shows well-delimited, symmetrically distributed, coalescent circular, violet-colored hyperpigmented patches upon both pretibial regions and foot dorsums.
ic-40-127-g001

References

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