Septicemia due to Vibrio cholerae serogroup non-O1/non-O139 strain in a cirrhotic patient

We describe a case of non-O1/non-O139 Vibrio cholerae septicemia in a 65-year-old male patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. He was admitted due to septic shock from non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae. An intravenous empiric antibiotic, ceftriaxone sodium hydrate, was administered together with amikacin sulfate, gamma globulin and dopamine. He was discharged feeling well 17 days after admission. Poor host defense mechanisms as seen in cirrhotic patients seem to be a determinant for systemic infection of non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae. Such patients should be warned and educated against eating raw or undercooked seafood to avoid the occurrence of non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae septicemia.