Journal List > Korean J Leg Med > v.42(4) > 1108846

Kim, Hwang, Moon, Park, and Lee: Unexpected Death by Sepsis of Staphylococcus aureus with Infective Endocarditis and Paravertebral Abscess in a Fisherman during Sailing out for Fish: An Autopsy Case

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of human infections, and it is also a commensal that colonizes the nose, axillae, vagina, throat, or skin surfaces. S. aureus has increasingly been recognized as a cause of severe invasive illness, and individuals colonized with this pathogen are subsequently at increased risk of its infections. S. aureus infection is a major cause of skin, soft tissue, respiratory, bone, joint, and endovascular disorders, and staphylococcal bacteremia may cause abscess, endocarditis, pneumonia, metastatic infection, foreign body infection, or sepsis. The authors describe a case of a fisherman who died of sepsis on a fishing boat during sailing out for fish. The autopsy shows paravertebral abscess, pus in the pericardial sac, infective endocarditis with vegetation on the aortic valve cusp, myocarditis, pneumonia and nephritis with bacterial colonization, and also liver cirrhosis and multiple gastric ulcerations.

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Reddening of the lumbo-sacral region and linear scar on the thoraco-lumbar area.

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Fig. 2

Dissection of the back showed abscess formation, subcutaneous hemorrhage, and inserted medical device.

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Fig. 3

Purulent fluid in the pericardial sac with erythematous change in the pericardium.

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Fig. 4

On dissection of the heart, bacterial vegetation was noted on the aortic valve cusp (arrow).

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Fig. 5

Microscopic examination of the aortic valve cusp revealed inflammatory infiltrates, necrotic debris, and bacterial colonization (H&E stain, ×100).

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Notes

Conflicts of Interest No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article was reported.

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ORCID iDs

Youn Shin Kim
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7407-0421

Ji Hye Park
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9467-2232

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