Mortality in a Clostridium sordellii Case Series

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Clostridium sordellii (C sordellii) is a gram-positive anaerobic bacterium causing severe, often fatal infections.
• Historically, C sordellii infections are associated with high mortality in women of childbearing age.
• This study examines recent trends in C sordellii infections within a hospital setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in the prevalence, treatment, and outcomes of Clostridium sordellii infections.
• To identify risk factors and clinical characteristics associated with C sordellii infections.
• To contribute to a better understanding of C sordellii pathogenicity.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of patients with positive Clostridium cultures from 2007 to 2022.
• Analysis of individual patient charts for culture data and clinical information.
• Descriptive statistics and student's t-test for comparative analysis between survivors and non-survivors.

Main Results:

• Fifteen patients had positive C sordellii cultures; five showed colonization without soft tissue infection.
• Eight of ten patients with soft tissue infections had a history of intravenous drug use (IVDU).
• All four deceased patients presented with hypotension, elevated WBCs, and had a history of IVDU.

Conclusions:

• This is the largest reported case series of C sordellii infections at a single institution.
• Findings suggest C sordellii may be more prevalent than previously thought, with a notable association with IVDU.
• Further research is crucial to elucidate the mechanisms of C sordellii lethality and improve patient outcomes.