Another cause of necrotizing fasciitis?

J Infect. 1997 Sep;35(2):177-8. doi: 10.1016/s0163-4453(97)91776-x.

Abstract

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare condition, but has a devastating clinical course if it is not diagnosed early and treated aggressively. There are usually a number of organisms implicated in its pathogenesis, but in this case report a patient is presented in whom the only organism isolated from both tissue and blood cultures was Clostridium septicum. This organism almost always causes a myonecrosis, but in this case only the superficial and deep fascial layers were affected, sparing the underlying muscle. Clostridium septicum resulting in a true necrotizing fasciitis with no myonecrosis and being the only isolate from both blood and tissue cultures has not been previously reported in literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Clostridium Infections / microbiology*
  • Clostridium*
  • Fasciitis, Necrotizing / microbiology*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Humans