Necrotising enterocolitis associated with invasion by Clostridium septicum complicating cyclic neutropaenia

A fatal case of necrotising enterocolitis complicating cyclic neutropaenia in a 17-year-old boy is reported. The episode of enterocolitis was characterised by fulminant, generalised peritonitis associated with necrosis and gas formation in the wall of the ileum and caecum. Clostridium septicum was grown from premortem blood cultures and Gram positive bacilli typical of this organism were present in histological sections of the bowel wall. Necrotising enterocolitis in this and previously reported cases of cyclic neutropaenia resembles the agranulocytic form of intestinal necrosis which occasionally complicates leukaemia.