Adrenal hemorrhage associated with Klebsiella oxytoca bacteremia

Septic adrenal hemorrhage is classically caused by meningococcemia. An auto psied case is presented of a 45-year-old man with adrenal hemorrhage due to Klebsiella oxytoca bacteremia following placement of a central venous cath eter, He died 5 hours after developing disseminated intravascular coagulati on (DIC). The bacterial entry site may have been the catheter, The cause of death was considered to be pulmonary edema due to bacteremia rather than a drenal insufficiency due to hemorrhage. Septic adrenal hemorrhage should be recognized as a subtype of sepsis rather than adrenal insufficiency, and m ay be caused in conditions of severe sepsis with DIG, independent of the mi croorganic variety.