Volume 17, Number 1—January 2011
Letter
Clostridium sphenoides Bloodstream Infection in Man
Theodoros Kelesidis
and Sotirios Tsiodras
and Sotirios TsiodrasTable
Descriptions of cases of infection with Clostridium sphenoides*
| Authors, year, and reference | Country | Patient age, y/ sex | Underlying conditions/ risk factors | Signs and symptoms | Microbiologic findings | Treatment | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sullivan et al., 1980 (2) |
Canada |
39/F |
None. Ate Chinese food 8 h before onset of symptoms |
Severe abdominal
cramps and diarrhea |
C. sphenoides isolated from stool culture. Susceptibility testing to antimicrobial drugs not reported |
No antimicrobial drugs given |
Spontaneous recovery within 96 h of onset of illness |
| Isenberg et al., 1975 (3) |
USA |
13/M |
None. Trauma at the area of osteomyelitis 1 y before diagnosis |
Osteomyelitis |
C. sphenoides isolated from bone culture. Sensitive to penicillins, cephalosporins, chloramphenicol, tetracyclines, macrolides; resistant to aminoglycosides, polymyxins |
Phenethicillin 2 g IV daily for 3 d, followed by 1 g IV daily for 3 mo |
Recovered. No evidence of disease clinically or radiologically after 3 y of follow up |
| Felitti, 1970 (4) | USA | 6/F | Chronic neutropenia, lifelong history of recurrent attacks of otitis media, oral ulcers, periodontal abscesses, chronic gingivitis | Fever, abdominal cramps, occasional vomiting, peritonitis | C. sphenoides isolated from the peritoneum. Blood cultures negative. Susceptibility testing to antimicrobial drugs not reported | No antimicrobial drugs given | Died |
*IV, intravenously.
