Pathogens
Clostridium perfringens

Clostridium perfringens

Susceptibilities

General Information

Anaerobic spore forming gram positive bacilli, box-car shaped.

Environmental (soil, water) organism as well as human/animal digestive tract.

Associated with penetrating wounds with environmental exposure.

  • Gas gangrene/Clostridial myonecrosis

  • Necrotizing skin and soft tissue infection

  • Septic abortion

  • Intra-abdominal abscess

  • Fatal bacteremia with massive exotoxin-mediated hemolysis

  • Foodborne self-limited gastrointestinal illness

Most disease is consequence of toxin production (e.g. gas gangrene from alpha toxin with myonecrosis and sepsis or diarrhea from enterotoxin).

Gas gangrene and necrotizing skin and soft tissue infection requires aggressive and urgent surgery as well as antibiotic therapy.