Two cases of severe pneumonia after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

In 2011, during the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, 90% of victims died from drowning. We report on two tsunami survivors with severe pneumonia potentially caused by Legionella pneumophila. Both victims aspirated a large quantity of contaminated water; sand, mud and a variety of microbes we...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shigeatu Endo (Author), Kohei Yamauchii (Author), Toshihide Nakadate (Author), Yutaka Nakamura (Author)
Format: Book
Published: World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2012-12-01T00:00:00Z.
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Summary:In 2011, during the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, 90% of victims died from drowning. We report on two tsunami survivors with severe pneumonia potentially caused by Legionella pneumophila. Both victims aspirated a large quantity of contaminated water; sand, mud and a variety of microbes were thought to have entered into their lower respiratory tracts. One patient had a mycotic intracranial aneurysm; the other patient had co-infections with several organisms, including Scedosporium species. Although scedosporiosis is a relatively rare infectious disease, symptoms are progressive and prognosis is poor. These pathogens are not specific for tsunami lung, but are reported causative agents for pneumonia after near-drowning.
Item Description:10.5365/wpsar.2012.3.2.002
2094-7321
2094-7313