RESUMO
PURPOSE: St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) died aged 49 years after 3 months of excruciating pain following a trivial lesion in his right foot. Erysipelas, a superficial bacterial infection of the skin, and subsequent sepsis were previously suggested as the cause of his death. Here, an alternative diagnosis is proposed. METHODS: An accurate perusal of his biography allowed the symptomatology, the clinical evolution, the depth of the infection and the associated systemic manifestations displayed by Fray John to be reconstructed. RESULTS: St. John of the Cross developed cellulitis in the foot, which turned into a cutaneous abscess. To treat the toxaemia and inhibit further necrosis of the skin, excision of necrotic tissue and cauterization of the sores were performed to no avail. The infection burrowed through the fascial planes and reached the bones of the leg, leading to osteomyelitis. CONCLUSIONS: In the absence of antibiotic treatments and proper antiseptic procedures, the soft-tissue infection spread deeper to the bones. It is not unconceivable that the surgery might have further promoted the spread of the bacteria giving rise to the secondary sepsis that led to St. John's premature death.
Assuntos
Celulite (Flegmão) , Cristianismo/história , Osteomielite , Sepse , Infecções dos Tecidos Moles , Abscesso/complicações , Celulite (Flegmão)/complicações , Celulite (Flegmão)/história , Evolução Fatal , Traumatismos do Pé/complicações , Traumatismos do Pé/história , História do Século XVI , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Infecções dos Tecidos Moles/etiologia , Infecções dos Tecidos Moles/história , EspanhaRESUMO
In England, UK, hospital admissions caused by bacterial infections associated with opioid use have increased annually since 2012, after 9 years of decline, mirroring trends in overdose deaths. The increase occurred among persons of both sexes and in all age groups and suggests preventive measures need reviewing.
