A Challenging Case of Shigella Sepsis Leading to Severe Multiorgan Dysfunction: A Successful Application of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Case DesCriptionA 21-year-old male, weighing 85 kg and measuring 180 cm in height, with a known history of bronchial asthma, initially presented to a secondary-level hospital in central India.He reported a 7-day history of high-grade intermittent fever accompanied by loose stools, vomiting, and generalized abdominal pain, which had worsened over the 24 hours prior to admission. introDuCtionSevere sepsis and refractory septic shock continue to pose substantial global health challenges, with high associated mortality despite advancements in critical care.Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has emerged as a vital therapeutic option for patients with severe respiratory or cardiac failure that is unresponsive to standard treatments.1,2 Recent developments in extracorporeal life support (ECLS) techniques have demonstrated their efficacy in managing these life-threatening conditions.In developed countries, acute myocarditis has an incidence range of 10-22 per 100,000 individuals, of which viral infections are the leading etiology.3 Bacterial myocarditis is relatively rare, and the myocardial injury associated with Shigella endotoxemia may mimic the mechanism of diphtheria toxin, which inhibits protein synthesis.Other proposed mechanisms include direct myocardial invasion or immune-mediated damage, akin to other extraintestinal manifestations of shigellosis such as reactive inflammatory arthritis or Reiter's syndrome.Shigella infection is present clinically as bloody diarrhea and acute inflammatory colitis.Currently, the management of myocarditis is mainly supportive, focusing on hemodynamic stabilization and addressing associated complications. 4 This case report discusses a particularly challenging scenario involving a young adult who developed severe sepsis, septic shock, and multiorgan failure secondary to Shigella sonnei infection.The patient's clinical condition deteriorated rapidly, necessitating ECLS as a critical life-saving intervention.
Institution: Sir Ganga Ram Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7133208389