Lucky survival from eating raw food containing Vibrio parahaemolyticus – poisonous creature

06/05/2020 15:46

With the timely help from many doctors on duty and the department of Septic Surgery and Wound Care of  Viet Duc University Hospital, the male patient was fortunately saved and has already recuperated. Nevertheless, this seems to be taking a long time to recover his legs as well as his normal daily life.

 

Nguyen Van T, 54 year-old male patient  lives in Trang cat – Vinh bao – Hai Phong. He is a job-free labour who is working in his own local area, usually participates in this area’s construction works. On 7^th April, as usual Mr. T joined the party with his friends and was served with “ Raw Tialpia “, the gang’s favourite food. After the meal, he came home to take a rest, and the day after, he began to get a fever, his right leg was numbed and was not able to move, he was transferred to Viet Tiep- Hai Phong Hospital (9/4) for the emergency care. In here, many doctors had a fast approach and diagnosed him infected with “ Vibrio haemolyticus” or also called as “ ta bien “ , one specific kind of bacteria which is usually existed in some seafood such as fish, shrimp, … Mr.T was shocked on admission, deteriorated in liver, kidney function and had to take vasopressor to regulate the blood pressure, doctors decided to cut the patient’s right leg as soon as possible to save his life but due to his current condition which was getting worse severely meanwhile his family hadn’t agreed yet, therefore he was operated for drainage pus of  his leg here before being hospitalized in Viet Duc University Hospital (VDUH) on 11^th April.

 

In VDUH, the doctors continuously held a consultation and tried to bring out the best solution for regulate the hemodynamic condition while was finding the way to handle with the wound on his leg. After 3 days under intensive care, Mr.T was gradually awaken and all his health index got back to the normal condition while being treated at the department of Septic Surgery and Wound Care, his status was closely tracked around the clock and continuously consulted by the doctors. After one week treatment, his entire body health condition got brighter, didn’t need to take vasopressor, liver and kidney function got back to normal. The patient was also operated again to remove the necrotic tissues and handle some bacteria infection on his right shin with continuously taking high dose antibiotic and having dressing in place. In the end, the result of final bacteriology test has shown no “ta bien”.

According to Ass. Professor. Nguyen Duc Chinh, head of department of Septic Surgery and Wound Care where the patient T has been treated until now said “ Despite keeping his life saved and also successful preserve his leg too but it will be a very long time for him getting back to his normal daily life and his job again due to after surgery, he will need to get some additional treatments for his leg function. In fact, Mr.T plays the main role in his family which is currently classified as poor, therefore hardly control the financial issues for the treatment in the hospital. Moreover, while patient T was under intensive care for the severe infection, the hospital also made some possible solutions to prevent from being infected of covid 19 therefore has made a sheer financial support for the patient.

 

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an acute infectious bacteria which is usually found in food, related to vibrio cholera which is also called “ta bien”. V.parahaemolyticus is a halophile and because of that, they grow well in the alkaline and salty environment, which exist in ocean and is found in sea-creatures such as fish, shrimp, shellfish, snail,…which habitant is usually discovered in river estuary, seashore around all places in the world. Nowadays, V. parahaemolyticus is clarified to be the main reason for causing so many poisoned cases found in fishes and seafood. V. Parahaemolyticus is one of the trio of infectious bacteria species causing diarrhea (Salmonella, Shigella) which is known as a threat, burden of Vietnamese’s health.

 

Lessons learnt from Mr.T situation, many doctors have imposed the guidance to the people for a poor hygiene pattern in the current society, especially the way of abusing raw food or unripe food which has many hidden threats of infectious bacteria exposures found in food  that is not only putting your life in peril but also adversely affecting on lifestyle and job afterward. Thus, we need to “eat well co, drink boiled water” and avoid using foodstuffs from vague resources, unknown poisonous effects… which can do harm in your own health status or your relative ” Dr. Trần Tuấn Anh, MD.MA who directly handle the patient T’s treatment shared.