Clinical features of patients suffering from food poisoning due to Vibrio parahaemolyticus-pecially on changes in electrocardiograms

Abstract

Clinical findings, especially changes in electrocardiograms, in patients suffering from Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection were reported. Electrocardiograms of patients showed that T wave was depressed and P wave became taller and broader in many cases. The anti-hemolysin antibody titer in the sera of patients increased about 15 days after the infection, suggesting that the thermostable direct hemolysin produced by V. parahaemolyticus invaded into patients through intestinal wall. Since the thermostable direct hemolysin was found to be a cardiotoxin to animals, such as mice, rats and rabbits, and killed these animals by either intravenous or intraperitoneal injection, it is assumed that the thermostable direct hemolysin invading into patients affects the heart, thus causes changes in electrocardiograms of patients. It was also demonstrated that values of GOT and GPT in the sera of patients were higher during the disease than those in the sera of patients after the disease.