[Clostridium tertium bacteremia in patient with liver cirrhosis]

Clostridium tertium is a bacterium of the Clostridiaceae family which can be found colonizing the gastrointestinal tract. Unlike other members of its family, it does not produce exotoxins. It was described for the first time in 1917 and in 1963 it was established as a pathogen in humans. Since then, cases have been reported mainly in immunosuppressed hosts, predominantly with primary focus at the abdominal level. The case of a 48-year-old man with a history of cirrhosis and hepatitis C virus infection is described. He presented an obstructed umbilical hernia that required intestinal resection and anastomosis, with positive blood and abdominal fluid cultures for Clostridium tertium. This case is of clinical importance due to the low prevalence of this germ, the possibility of resistance to usual antibiotic regimens and its sub diagnostic given the morphological and growth similarities with Bacillus or Lactobacillus.