Korean J Infect Dis.  2000 Aug;32(4):340-343.

A Case of Clostridium Septicum Sepsis Associated with Malignancy

• Park CW
• Song JY
• Kim CH
• Sohn JW
• Cheong HJ
• Kim WJ
• Kim MJ
• Park SC

Abstract

Clostridium septicum is a toxin producing anaerobic, motile, spore-forming, spindle shaped Gram positive rod that may cause devastating systemic illness in patients with neutropenia and underlying hematologic or gastrointestinal malignancy. Clostridium septicum sepsis usually have fulminating clinical courses, and unless the appropriate antibiotics are administered soon after admission, the outcome is fatal. We experienced a case of sepsis due to Clostridium septicum, in a 65-year-old woman with peripheral T-cell lymphoma and diabetes mellitus. She was admitted due to abdominal pain, fever, chilling, nausea, vomiting and watery diarrhea, followed by rapidly progressive course. This patient was not improved by intensive care and continuous antibiotic therapy, expired at the 4th hospital day. Clostridium septicum grew from premortem blood cultures.

Keyword

Clostridium septicum sepsis; Malignancy; Diabetes mellitus

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Aged
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Clostridium septicum*
Clostridium*
Diabetes Mellitus
Diarrhea
Female
Fever
Humans
Critical Care
Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral
Nausea
Neutropenia
Sepsis*
Vomiting
Anti-Bacterial Agents