Necrotizing Clostridium subterminale infection with an odontogenic origin

Charles J Grodzin; Edward B Henderson; Alvaro Velasquez; Soraya Smith-Farmer; Samuel Gebreyonas

doi:10.1016/j.idcr.2022.e01416

Necrotizing Clostridium subterminale infection with an odontogenic origin

IDCases. 2022 Jan 21:27:e01416. doi: 10.1016/j.idcr.2022.e01416. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Charles J Grodzin¹, Edward B Henderson², Alvaro Velasquez¹, Soraya Smith-Farmer³, Samuel Gebreyonas³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, Emory University Hospital Midtown, 550 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA.
² Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University Hospital, 1365 Clifton Rd NE Building C, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
³ Department of Critical Care Medicine Intensive Care Unit, Emory University Hospital Midtown, 550 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA.

Abstract

Clostridium subterminale is an anaerobic spore-forming bacterium rarely isolated in human infections. This case study presents a necrotizing C. subterminale infection stemming from a dental abscess that progressed into sepsis, a small pericardial effusion, moderate bilateral pulmonary effusions, and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The management of the infection, along with other relevant cases is discussed.

Keywords: Anaerobic Resistance; Clostridium; Clostridium subterminale; Necrotizing fasciitis; Odontogenic infection; Oral infection.

Publication types

Case Reports