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The origin of hydrogen sulfide in a newborn with sulfhaemoglobin induced cyanosis

¹ Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Nijmegen, NL-6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
² Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Nijmegen
³ Department of Neonatology, University Medical Center Nijmegen
⁴ Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Nijmegen

Correspondence to:
Dr G P A Bongaerts, Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Nijmegen, PO Box 9101, NL-6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
G.Bongaerts{at}mmb.azn.nl
ABSTRACT
This report investigated the origin of H₂S in a newborn boy with sulfhaemoglobin induced cyanosis, who died because of multiple organ failure. Frozen material was collected and studied after death. The results suggest that enzymes had been released from deteriorating organs into the blood and abdominal fluid, and that the reaction of one of these enzymes with sulfur containing amino acids might have resulted in increased H₂S concentrations. It is hypothesised that this release of enzymes resulted from a haemolysin produced by an invasive haemolytic Escherichia coli that was found in the blood and organs of this patient.

Keywords: hereditary disease; intestines; invasive bacterium; haemolysin