Atypical Infections in Tsunami Survivors
After a tsunami hit Asia in December 2004, 2 survivors had severe infections due to multidrug-resistant and atypical bacteria and rare fungi weeks afterwards. Treating these infections is challenging from a clinical and microbiologic point of view.

After a tsunami hit a large part of Southeast Asia in December 2004, >200,000 people died and several hundred thousand were severely injured. First aid was provided in local hospitals under difficult conditions. Most patients had multiple fractures, soft-tissue injuries, and complications from near-drowning events. Acute complications did not pose diagnostic problems; after emergency situations were resolved, patients were seen in other healthcare facilities, and foreign tourists were repatriated. Two Swiss tourists were treated in Thailand and then transferred to our hospital. Severe infections that were caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria and, subsequently, unusual fungal and mycobacterial infections developed in both of the patients.