On February 6th, information from Phuc Yen General Hospital (Phu Tho) said that the Hospital's Department of Infectious Diseases had just successfully treated a male patient named N.V.T (54 years old, in Phuc Yen ward) - a Whitmore case due to Burkholderia pseudomallei bacteria (human-eating bacteria).
About 2 days before being admitted to the hospital, the patient developed symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Although he had self-medicated with fever-reducing medicine at home, the condition did not improve, he had continuous high fever and increasing shortness of breath. The family quickly took the patient to Phuc Yen General Hospital for examination and treatment.
At the hospital, the patient was diagnosed with respiratory failure - pneumonia/diabetes, treated with antibiotics, non-invasive ventilation and blood sugar control.
However, after 2 days of treatment, the condition did not improve, the patient continued to have a high fever, consciousness gradually slowed down, blood pressure dropped, and quickly progressed to septic shock.
Faced with critical developments, the patient was transferred to intensive care, placed in an endotracheal tube, ventilated, used vasopressor drugs, and at the same time performed phlegm culture to identify the causative agent. Test results determined that the patient was infected with Burkholderia pseudomallei bacteria - the causative agent of Whitmore's disease.
Immediately after determining the cause, doctors adjusted the appropriate antibiotic regimen, combined with intensive care. Thanks to early diagnosis and proper treatment, the patient's condition gradually improved significantly: shock was relieved, vasopressors were discontinued, endotracheal tubes were removed and fever was cured after 6 days of treatment.
After 21 days of treatment, phlegm culture results no longer detected disease-causing bacteria. The patient was discharged from the hospital in stable condition, continuing maintenance treatment with oral medication for 3 months according to the protocol to prevent recurrence.
