Clostridium perfringens bacteraemia, an analysis of 28 cases over 10 years in a university hospital of Madrid

Abstract

Bacteraemia caused by anaerobic bacteria is rare in the hospital setting. The Clostridium genus is the second most common cause of these infections, particularly Clostridium perfringens, which has a high mortality rate. However, reviews in the literature of these infections are scarce. The aim of this study was to retrospectively document the incidence, clinical characteristics and risk factors involved in the acquisition of bacteraemia caused by C. perfringens among patients treated at our hospital over a 10-year period. Twenty-eight patients with C. perfringens bacteraemia were included in the study. We evaluated pre-existing comorbidities, the source of bacteraemia, clinical features, the antimicrobial treatment administered and patient outcome. C. perfringens bacteraemia occurs rarely in our setting, but with a very high mortality rate. This rate is associated with old age and pre-existing, largely gastrointestinal malignancies. It presents with few specific symptoms but requires rapid and appropriate diagnosis and treatment to reduce the high mortality of this infection.