[Fatal intracerebral gas gangrene in a 10-month-old child]

Zentralbl Chir. 2000;125(8):688-90. doi: 10.1055/s-2000-10653.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Today, intracerebral infections by gas forming bacteria are very rare. They are mostly seen after penetrating injuries and more rarely after trivial trauma. Although prognosis of this kind of infection is severe, the general outcome of these patients after surgical and antibiotic treatment is good. We report a ten months old boy suffering a pecking injury just above the left ear with perforation of the temporal bone and dura. In between 48 hrs he developed a rapidly progressive gas gangrene encephalitis due to infection with C. perfringens and died despite of surgical and antibiotic treatment due to massive brain swelling and cardio-pulmonary failure.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chickens / microbiology
  • Clostridium perfringens*
  • Ear, External / injuries
  • Encephalitis / microbiology
  • Encephalitis / pathology*
  • Gas Gangrene / pathology*
  • Gas Gangrene / transmission
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Temporal Bone / injuries
  • Temporal Bone / pathology
  • Wound Infection / pathology
  • Zoonoses