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Gas gangrene (also known as clostridial myonecrosis [1]) is a bacterial infection that produces tissue gas in gangrene. This deadly form of gangrene usually is caused by Clostridium perfringens bacteria. About 1,000 cases of gas gangrene are reported yearly in the United States. [2] Myonecrosis is a condition of necrotic damage, specific to ...
Gas gangrene is a bacterial infection that produces gas within tissues. It can be caused by Clostridium, most commonly alpha toxin-producing C. perfringens, or various nonclostridial species. [11] [21] Infection spreads rapidly as the gases produced by the bacteria expand and infiltrate healthy tissue in the vicinity.
The two most prominent infections of GAS are both non-invasive: strep throat (pharyngitis) where it causes 15–30% of the childhood cases and 10% of adult cases, and impetigo. [4] These may be effectively treated with antibiotics. Scarlet fever is also a non-invasive infection caused by GAS, although much less common.
Clostridium perfringens is the most common bacterial agent for gas gangrene. [45] Gas gangrene is induced by α-toxin that embeds itself into the plasma membrane of cells and disrupts normal cellular function by altering membrane structure. [8] Some symptoms include blisters, tachycardia, swelling, and jaundice. [45]
It is thought that the infection is established by hematogenous spread from the gastrointestinal tract. Gas gangrene caused by Clostridium septicum is associated with colorectal cancer and other defects of the bowel. [2] Clostridium septicum causes myonecrosis through the release of exotoxins such as the alpha toxin, lethal toxin, and hemolytic ...
This toxin has been shown to be the key virulence factor in infection with C. perfringens; the bacterium is unable to cause disease without this toxin. [1] Further, vaccination against the alpha toxin toxoid protects mice against C. perfringens gas gangrene. [2]
Note the tense wall indicative of gas under pressure and volvulus. Bowel infarction or gangrenous bowel represents an irreversible injury to the intestine resulting from insufficient blood flow. It is considered a medical emergency because it can quickly result in life-threatening infection and death. [ 1 ]
Clostridium perfringens causes a wide range of symptoms, from food poisoning to cellulitis, fasciitis, necrotic enteritis and gas gangrene. [16] [17] Clostridium tetani causes tetanus. Several more pathogenic species, that were previously described in Clostridium, have been found to belong to other genera. [6]