Clostridium septicum fatality: diffuse bowel necrosis associated with cocaine abuse and agranulocytosis

Abstract

Spontaneous, non-traumatic gas gangrene due to Clostridium septicum is a rapidly progressive infection with a high mortality rate and most commonly presents with soft tissue myonecrosis. Predisposing factors include gastrointestinal pathology, malignancies and immune deficiency disorders. To our knowledge cocaine induce bowel ischemia as a predisposing factor for Clostridium septicum sepsis has not been previous reported.