Zdravniški Vestnik (Feb 2003)
SUCCESSIVE INFECTIONS WITH DIFFERENT AGENTS IN 76-YEARS OLD PATIENT
Abstract
Background. A case comprising six successive infections in period lasting from September 12, 1999 to November 23, 1999 in 76-years old female is presented. The etiological agents were confirmed in/with the first four infections but with the last two the purulent meningitis and septic shock infection, blood and liquor cultures were negative. We presume that this was caused by antibiotic therapy before her second admission in the hospital and because of intensive antibiotic therapy of purulent meningitis. The first five infections were successfully treated: enteritis caused by Clostridium difficile, sepsis caused by Salmonella enteritidis, candidiasis that appeared during the therapy of both sepsis, Campylobacter jejuni infection and purulent meningitis. The number of leukocytes and granulocytes fell under the normal values in all infections and during the recovery their increase could be observed. The patient died in septic shock, with acute renal failure, with bleedings in the lung, in the skin, in the urinary tract and in the brain.Conclusions. The leukopenia and the granulocytopenia are themselves the signs of serious infections. They accelerate the appearance of new infections and they reduce the success of therapy. The expected mortality total rate for this six infections is very high. The massive bleedings in the brain are lethal.
