[Clostridium perfringens septicemia associated with foodborne toxic infection and abortion]

P Lantelme1, I Mohammedi, S Duperret

  • 1Service de Réanimation Polyvalente, Hôpital Edouard-Herriot, Lyon.

A 32-year-old pregnant woman with poor life and hygiene conditions presented with premature labour, fever and diarrhoea. After admission she gave birth to a stillborn child. The examination revealed a septicaemia with massive haemolysis and renal failure. Six blood cultures obtained on admission yielded Clostridium perfringens. The outcome was favourable after an adapted antibiomicrobial therapy. This case illustrates the potential severity of Clostridium perfringens foodborne toxi-infection which can lead to abortion and septicaemia with massive haemolysis.

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