An Autopsy Case of Infectious Endocarditis in a Methamphetamine Abuser Usefulness of Microbiological Examination

Czech version

Authors: Hiroshi Kinoshita ¹; Akira Kubota ²; Minori Nishiguchi ¹; Harumi Ouchi ¹; Takako Minami ¹; Takehiko Yamamura ¹; Takao Utsumi ³; Hiroyuki Motomura ⁴; Kiyoshi Ameno ⁵; Kazue Aoyama ⁶; Yasunao Wada ⁷; Shigeru Hishida ¹
Authors‘ workplace: College of Medicine, - Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8 0 , Japan ¹; Department of Legal Medicine, 2Surgical Pathology 3Ophthalmology and 6Bacteriology Hyogo College of Medicine, and 7Clinical Laboratory Division, Hospital of the Hyogo ¹; Forensic Science Laboratory, Hyogo Prefectural Police Headquarters, -4- ⁴; Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 750- Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan ⁵; Shimoyamate -dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 60-8 0, Japan ⁵
Published in: Soud Lék., 50, 2005, No. 2, p. 18-22

Overview

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

Labels

Anatomical pathology Forensic medical examiner Toxicology

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Article was published in

Forensic Medicine

2005 Issue 2