Clostridium Perfringens Intestinal Gas Gangrene in a Preterm Newborn

Introduction

Gas gangrene is a rapidly progressive disease with a high mortality in adults and children. Despite antibiotics, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or surgery, the outcome is fatal in a significant proportion of patients [6]. The most common pathogen underlying gas gangrene is Clostridium (Cl.) perfringens. This anaerobic bacterium can be found in the gut of healthy adults [15] and in infants, particularly in hospitalized newborns [7]. Colonization with Cl. spp. is observed in less than 10 % of preterm babies during the first four days of life but increases to 35 % at the age of two weeks [1]. Here we report a case of Cl. perfringens-associated intestinal gas gangrene developing in a preterm infant within 48 hours of delivery.

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