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Necrotizing enterocolitis associated with Clostridium paraputrificum septicemia
W X Shandera1, R L Humphrey, L B Stratton
1Department of Medicine, Southwest Washington Hospital, Vancouver.
Southern Medical Journal
|February 1, 1988
Summary
Neutropenia patients are at increased risk for severe Clostridium infections. A case study highlights Clostridium paraputrificum causing necrotizing enterocolitis in a neutropenic patient, reinforcing this association.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Neutropenia, a condition characterized by low white blood cell counts, compromises the immune system.
- Clostridial infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals, can lead to severe gastrointestinal complications.
Observation:
- A 38-year-old woman with chronic neutropenia presented with acute abdominal pain and septicemia.
- Blood and peritoneal cultures identified Clostridium paraputrificum as the causative agent.
Findings:
- Surgical biopsy confirmed necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious intestinal inflammation, with characteristic gram-positive rods.
- The pathogenic role of Clostridium paraputrificum in this severe infection was established.
Implications:
- This case reinforces the established link between neutropenia and an increased susceptibility to clostridial infections.
- Highlights the importance of considering Clostridium species in the differential diagnosis of abdominal sepsis in neutropenic patients.