Related Experiment Videos
Isolation of Clostridium in human infections: evaluation of 114 cases
Abstract:
One hundred fifty-two strains of Clostridium were isolated from 144 patients over a 14-month-peroid. These included 23 recognized species and 23 strains that were unclassified. Soft tissues or abscesses yielded 84 strains of Clostridium. Intraabdominal sites predominated, but clostridia were recovered from empyema, carcinoma, frostbite with gas gangrene, muscle abscess, aortic graft, and brain abscess. Blood cultures yielded 65 strains of Clostridium from 49 patients, representing 0.3% of 16,314 blood cultures (or 2.6% of 2,168 positive cultures). Clostridium perfringens was most common in blood, accounting for 37 isolates (57%). Clostridial bacteremia was often unrelated to the clinical setting and was found in alcoholics with aspiration or Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, empyema, meningococcemia, and infantile gastroenteritis. In 20 of the 49 patients (41%), aerobic or other anaerobic bacteria were cultured concurrently from the blood. Thus, clostridial bacteremia should be interpreted with caution since there may be little correlation with the patient's clinical condition.
Insights
Clostridium bacteria were isolated from various patient sites, including blood cultures. Clostridial bacteremia often occurred without clear clinical correlation, suggesting cautious interpretation.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Clinical Infectious Diseases
- Anaerobic Bacteriology
Background:
- Clostridium species are known human pathogens.
- Understanding the prevalence and clinical significance of Clostridium in infections is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the isolation and clinical relevance of Clostridium species from diverse patient samples.
- To investigate the incidence and associations of Clostridium bacteremia.
Main Methods:
- Prospective isolation of 152 Clostridium strains from 144 patients over 14 months.
- Analysis of isolates from soft tissue infections, abscesses, and blood cultures.
- Correlation of Clostridium bacteremia with patient demographics and clinical conditions.
Main Results:
- 84 Clostridium strains were isolated from soft tissues/abscesses, predominantly intra-abdominal sites.
- 65 Clostridium strains were recovered from blood cultures (2.6% of positive cultures).
- Clostridium perfringens was the most common blood isolate (57%); bacteremia often lacked clinical correlation and frequently co-occurred with other bacteria.
Conclusions:
- Clostridium species are frequently isolated from various human infections.
- Clostridial bacteremia should be interpreted cautiously due to a potential lack of direct clinical correlation.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the precise role of Clostridium in certain clinical scenarios.