Severe gastroenteritis associated with Vibrio hollisae infection: report of two cases and review

Abstract

Vibrio hollisae, one of the more recently described halophilic Vibrio species, is infrequently associated with gastrointestinal disease and only rarely recovered from individuals presenting with gram-negative sepsis. In this report we describe two cases of severe gastrointestinal disease associated with V. hollisae in otherwise healthy individuals. In one of these individuals, severe epigastric pain was apparently associated with signs of pseudoappendicitis, necessitating exploratory surgery. In both individuals, infection was associated with the ingestion of raw shellfish. These cases are discussed in light of previous reports on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and spectrum of disease caused by this unusual pathogen.