Man in Ho Chi Minh City in critical condition after eating raw oysters

(Dan Tri) - A man in Ho Chi Minh City ate raw oysters at a seafood party, then had severe stomach pain, difficulty breathing, prolonged high fever and was hospitalized in critical condition.

This case once again sounds the alarm about the risks of raw food, especially for people with underlying diseases.

Mr. H. (40 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) began to experience symptoms of epigastric pain, nausea and mild fever after eating a lot of raw oysters. Initially, he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis at a medical facility near his home, but his condition did not improve after a few days of treatment.

When transferred to the Emergency Department of a general hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, doctors noted that Mr. H. had a distended abdomen, high fever, difficulty breathing, and especially signs of sepsis - a dangerous complication that threatens his life.

Specialist Doctor Ly Gia Cuong said that the patient had severe acute pancreatitis, accompanied by abdominal and pulmonary effusion, leading to respiratory failure and high blood pressure. The condition became more serious because Mr. H. had a history of obesity, hyperlipidemia and hypertension.

Mr. H. was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for treatment with strong antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, pain relievers, and oxygen support. In the first few days, the patient had a fever of over 39 degrees Celsius, severe abdominal pain, was unable to eat or drink, and had to be completely nourished intravenously.

A patient is being treated at the Intensive Care - Anti-Poison Department (Photo: Hospital).

Doctors closely monitored liver, kidney, and heart function and performed numerous tests to control the risk of septic shock and multiple organ damage.

After more than a week of intensive treatment, Mr. H. began to show signs of recovery, his fever was gone, his stomach pain was reduced, he could breathe easier and could drink sugar water and eat thin porridge. When his vital signs were stable, the patient was discharged from the hospital.

Dr. Cuong explained that acute pancreatitis is a condition in which the pancreas becomes inflamed due to the accumulation of digestive enzymes secreted by the body itself and “corroding” the pancreatic tissue. Common causes include drinking alcohol, eating foods rich in protein and fat, or infection from raw food.

“Obese people are often at risk of dyslipidemia and especially increased triglycerides - one of the causes of acute pancreatitis. Seafood dishes rich in protein and fat can stimulate the pancreas to secrete more digestive enzymes, if accompanied by obstruction or dyslipidemia, it will easily trigger the disease.

For patients with underlying diseases such as high blood pressure and obesity, the risk of complications such as respiratory failure and multiple organ failure is higher, so close monitoring is needed," the doctor analyzed.

Doctor Cuong recommends that people should not be subjective with symptoms of abdominal pain after eating, especially severe pain in the upper abdomen, fever, nausea or difficulty breathing, because these could be signs of acute pancreatitis.

At the same time, people with metabolic diseases such as dyslipidemia, diabetes, and obesity need to be careful when eating raw seafood or foods rich in fat and protein.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/nguoi-dan-ong-o-tphcm-nguy-kich-sau-khi-an-hau-song-20250915124746087.htm