Clostridium perfringens Sepsis Complicated by Hepatic Abscess Following Intensive Chemotherapy in Mixed-Phenotype...

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) is a rare cause of febrile neutropenia in patients with acute leukemia, and only a few case reports are published in the literature. The peculiar presentation of this clostridial sepsis, with the formation of gaseous liver abscess and toxin-associated intravascular hemolysis, can suggest the diagnosis in immunocompromised patients and prompt immediate treatment. Early identification of these clinical features may be essential to prevent the accelerated and aggressive course of this infection with a very high mortality rate. Here we report the case of a patient with mixed-phenotype acute leukemia who developed C. perfringens sepsis in the context of profound chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.