Metastatic Infection of Unknown Origin in a Diabetic and Alcoholic

Abstract

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are at risk for a wide variety of infections, in particular, disseminated or metastatic infections. On a similar note, alcohol consumption also impairs the immune system and increases the risk of translocation of organisms and disseminated infection. Here, we present a case of metastatic infection arising in a diabetic patient with a history of alcohol consumption and causing disseminated infection from an unknown source in the brain (as abscess) and the lungs (as septic emboli). With primary treatment, the patient recovered completely. This case highlights how infections in diabetes and alcoholic have a more complicated and protracted course and increase the duration of hospitalization and mortality, and metastatic infection is a possibility without any apparent source.