89 - Clostridium perfringens: Wound Infections

Abstract

Most cases of gas gangrene are associated with an initial focus of infection, which develops into a rapidly spreading disease with active invasion of the surrounding connective or muscle tissue. The disease is reported after hypodermic injections. The bacteria most frequently associated with gas gangrene are Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium novyi, and Clostridium septicum. Although the pathogenic Clostridia have achieved notoriety for their association with gas gangrene, it is increasingly apparent that they may also be associated with nongangrenous diseases. In recent years, significant advances are made in the understanding of the global regulation of extracellular toxin production in C. perfringens. These advances have largely been brought about by the application of newly developed methods for the genetic manipulation of C. perfringens. Irrespective of the outcome of these experiments, it is clear that the regulation of toxin production in C. perfringens is a complex process.