Septic Aortitis From Wild Pigs in Texas: Surgical Treatment
John F Eidt, Spencer Hanson
Baylor Scott and White Heart and Vascular Hospital, Dallas, TX
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this video is to emphasize the potential risk of human vascular infection with brucella suis which is highly prevalent in the expanding population of wild pigs in Texas. We present the case of a woman who developed septic aortitis after exposure to infected wild pigs.
METHODS: This video contains radiologic imaging and intraoperative footage obtained during the course of treatment of a patient with a ruptured abdominal aneurysm due to brucella suis.
RESULTS: A 48 yo woman presented with rupture of the abdominal aorta after a prolonged period of medical treatment for what was thought to be inflammatory (sterile) aortitis. Urgent infrarenal endografting was successful in managing the acute rupture. Persistent back pain, fever and leukocytosis led to the eventual diagnosis of septic aortitis due to b suis. This patient was successfully treated with a "Neo-Aorto-Iliac System" (NAIS) for ruptured septic aortitis.
CONCLUSIONS: Considered by many to be an environmental disaster, there are now more than 4 million wild pigs in the US. In addition to extensive crop damage and competition with commercial domestic herds, wild pigs carry a number of infectious diseases that are potentially harmful to human. While infection with Brucella species has been virtually eliminated from commercial cattle and swine by vaccination programs, the prevalence of contamination with B suis may be up to 50% in wild pigs. Human infection can result from exposure to blood or other body fluids. Hunters and slaughterhouse workers are at particularly high risk. Vascular surgeons should be aware of the potential risk of aortic infection due to brucella.
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