FATAL SEPTICEMIA AND BULLAE CAUSED BY NON-01 VIBRIO-CHOLERAE

Bullous lemons associated with non-01 Vibrio cholerae developed in a patient with hepatic cirrhosis who had recently ingested raw oysters. He died of overwhelming sepsis despite 5 days of aggressive antibiotic therapy. Non-01 V. cholerae was isolated from blood, peritoneal fluid, and bullae. The organism produced a cytotoxic factor that destroyed Chinese hamster ovary cells. Although septicemia caused by non-01 V cholerae is uncommon, cutaneous manifestations of this organism are even rarer. Our patient represents the first reported case of bullous lesions associated with non-01 V cholerae septicemia.