Elephantiasis in the Netherlands, a rare finding and a reason to perform an autopsy
Introduction: Elephantiasis is endemic around the equator. In Western countries the phenomenon is extremely rare. Case description: A Dutch 41-year-old severely obese male was found dead in his home. During the external examination, an extensive skin infection was seen on both lower legs. The man wa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Forensic Science International: Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910720300025 |
| _version_ | 1818519808339083264 |
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| author | H. Tamara Gelderman Jos Bart Wilma L.J.M. Duijst |
| author_facet | H. Tamara Gelderman Jos Bart Wilma L.J.M. Duijst |
| author_sort | H. Tamara Gelderman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Elephantiasis is endemic around the equator. In Western countries the phenomenon is extremely rare. Case description: A Dutch 41-year-old severely obese male was found dead in his home. During the external examination, an extensive skin infection was seen on both lower legs. The man was treated for erysipelas two years prior and did not visit the general practitioner again. Clinical autopsy showed there was a serious stasis dermatitis of both lower legs with a superimposed erysipelas which led to a sepsis and multiple organ failure. The erysipelas presented itself as elephantiasis. Discussion: Elephantiasis is most often caused by filariasis. In our case, the deceased had not been abroad and had predisposing factors for elephantiasis nostras verrucosa (ENV), such as obesity and an objectified erysipelas infection two years prior. The chronic skin infection caused sepsis and multiple organ failure. The position in which the deceased was found may have contributed to the death. Conclusion: Elephantiasis is a highly uncommon phenomenon in Western countries. A chronic erysipelas can cause non-filarial elephantiasis and if left untreated, can cause death. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:29:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4bb39bfb695f43d6abb2aee7a7b2d4b8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2665-9107 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:29:01Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forensic Science International: Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-4bb39bfb695f43d6abb2aee7a7b2d4b82022-12-22T01:25:25ZengElsevierForensic Science International: Reports2665-91072020-12-012100056Elephantiasis in the Netherlands, a rare finding and a reason to perform an autopsyH. Tamara Gelderman0Jos Bart1Wilma L.J.M. Duijst2PHS IJsselland, Zeven Alleetjes 1, 8011 CV Zwolle, the NetherlandsIsala Hospital, Dokter van Heesweg 2, 8025 AB Zwolle, the NetherlandsPHS IJsselland, Zeven Alleetjes 1, 8011 CV Zwolle, the Netherlands; Maastricht University, Faculty of Law and Criminology, Minderbroedersberg 4-6, 6211 LK Maastricht, the Netherlands; Corresponding author at: Minderbroedersberg 4-6, 6211 LK Maastricht, the Netherlands.Introduction: Elephantiasis is endemic around the equator. In Western countries the phenomenon is extremely rare. Case description: A Dutch 41-year-old severely obese male was found dead in his home. During the external examination, an extensive skin infection was seen on both lower legs. The man was treated for erysipelas two years prior and did not visit the general practitioner again. Clinical autopsy showed there was a serious stasis dermatitis of both lower legs with a superimposed erysipelas which led to a sepsis and multiple organ failure. The erysipelas presented itself as elephantiasis. Discussion: Elephantiasis is most often caused by filariasis. In our case, the deceased had not been abroad and had predisposing factors for elephantiasis nostras verrucosa (ENV), such as obesity and an objectified erysipelas infection two years prior. The chronic skin infection caused sepsis and multiple organ failure. The position in which the deceased was found may have contributed to the death. Conclusion: Elephantiasis is a highly uncommon phenomenon in Western countries. A chronic erysipelas can cause non-filarial elephantiasis and if left untreated, can cause death.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910720300025FilariasisElephantiasis nostras verrucosaErysipelas |
| spellingShingle | H. Tamara Gelderman Jos Bart Wilma L.J.M. Duijst Elephantiasis in the Netherlands, a rare finding and a reason to perform an autopsy Forensic Science International: Reports Filariasis Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa Erysipelas |
| title | Elephantiasis in the Netherlands, a rare finding and a reason to perform an autopsy |
| title_full | Elephantiasis in the Netherlands, a rare finding and a reason to perform an autopsy |
| title_fullStr | Elephantiasis in the Netherlands, a rare finding and a reason to perform an autopsy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Elephantiasis in the Netherlands, a rare finding and a reason to perform an autopsy |
| title_short | Elephantiasis in the Netherlands, a rare finding and a reason to perform an autopsy |
| title_sort | elephantiasis in the netherlands a rare finding and a reason to perform an autopsy |
| topic | Filariasis Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa Erysipelas |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910720300025 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT htamaragelderman elephantiasisinthenetherlandsararefindingandareasontoperformanautopsy AT josbart elephantiasisinthenetherlandsararefindingandareasontoperformanautopsy AT wilmaljmduijst elephantiasisinthenetherlandsararefindingandareasontoperformanautopsy |