Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 23, 2025

Real-time Cytotoxicity Assays in Human Whole Blood
Published on: November 7, 2014
Toxic Hemolysis in a Young Healthy Female
Ami Patel1, Swati Vishwanathan1, Abhishek Chilkulwar2
1Department of Internal Medicine, Allegheny Health Network, 320 East North Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, USA.
Abstract:
Clostridium perfringes is a gram-positive, rod-shaped, anerobic, spore-forming pathogenic bacterium. C. perfringes is commonly known to cause tissue necrosis and gas gangrene. However, severe life-threatening complications like hemolysis due to clostridium sepsis are rarely encountered. We present a case of a 35-year-old female presenting with endometritis complicated with severe hemolysis in the setting of sepsis secondary to C. perfringes. Her hospital course was complicated with multi-organ involvement, requiring broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics. Eventually, she made an uneventful recovery by early recognition of these rare complications and prompt institution of appropriate therapy.
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