An Autopsy Case of Infectious Endocarditis
in a Methamphetamine Abuser
Usefulness of Microbiological Examination
Hiroshi Kinoshita1, Akira Kubota2, Minori Nishiguchi1, Harumi Ouchi1, Takako Minami1, Takehiko Yamamura1, Takao Utsumi3, Hiroyuki Motomura4,Kiyoshi Ameno5, Kazue Aoyama6, Yasunao Wada7, Shigeru Hishida1
1Department of Legal Medicine, 2Surgical Pathology 3Ophthalmology and 6Bacteriology, Hyogo College of Medicine, and 7Clinical Laboratory Division, Hospital of the Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan 4Forensic Science Laboratory, Hyogo Prefectural Police Headquarters, 5-4-1, Shimoyamate -dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-8510, Japan 5Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan |
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Summary:
We present here a case of sepsis due to infectious endocarditis in a methamphetamine abuser.
A 32 year-old male presented high fever and abdominal pain last two weeks. He was admitted to
the hospital on the diagnosis of infectious endocarditis. In the evening on the day of admission,
he suddenly collapsed. Despite of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, his death was confirmed. From
the autopsy findings, toxicological analysis and results of the microbiological examination, we
concluded that the cause of death was septic shock due to infectious endocarditis, presumably
based on the methamphetamine abuse. The result obtained from microbiological examination
gave us useful information. We shall have to be on the lookout, not only for acute poisoning, but
also for cases of drug abuse related deaths.
Key words:
drug abuse – infection endocarditis, methamphetamine – sepsis
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