Near-drowning-associated Aeromonas pneumonia

J Emerg Med. 1996 Nov-Dec;14(6):737-41. doi: 10.1016/s0736-4679(96)00183-7.

Abstract

Aeromonas is increasingly recognized as a human pathogen that causes a variety of different infections. Aeromonas has rarely been reported as a cause of respiratory infection, and it has been described in near-drowning-associated pneumonia. This article reviews a case of Aeromonas sobria pneumonia associated with a near drowning and considers the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 10 previously reported cases. Nearly all of the cases involved young healthy men, a rapid development of pneumonia and sepsis after a brief stable period postimmersion, and bilateral infiltrates on chest radiography. A very high rate of positive blood cultures and mortality was also noted. The epidemiological and clinical data in this review may be helpful to the clinician caring for near-drowning victims. Although prophylactic antibiotics are not recommended for near-drowning victims, broad-spectrum antibiotics should be rapidly instituted with any evidence of infection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Aeromonas / isolation & purification*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / microbiology*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Organ Failure / etiology
  • Near Drowning / complications*
  • Pneumonia / microbiology*
  • Pneumonia / mortality
  • Pneumonia / prevention & control

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents