VIBRIO-VULNIFICUS INFECTION REPORTING ON DEATH CERTIFICATES - THE INVISIBLE IMPACT OF AN OFTEN FATAL INFECTION

This study assessed accuracy of (a) recording Vibrio vulnificus infect ion on death certificates and (b) International Classification of Dise ase (ICD)-9 codes for V. vulnificus. Patients with microbiologically c onfirmed V. vulnificus infection were identified as part of co-ordinat ed surveillance in four USA Gulf Coast states between 1989 and 1993. O f 60 deaths, 51 death certificates were reviewed and V. vulnificus was recorded as the immediate cause of death on 11 (22 %). There was no I CD-9 code for V. vulnificus infection, thus no patients had an ICD-9 c ode indicating V. vulnificus infection. Of 23 certificates where V. vu lnificus was recorded on the death certificate, only 5 (22 %) were cod ed for Gram-negative, septicaemia. This study highlights the importanc e of teaching physicians how to provide epidemiologically meaningful d ata on death certificates and the need for accurate ICD mortality code s.