Table 2

 Characteristics of the 38 patients with clinically relevant clostridium bacteraemia

PatientSex/AgeUnderlying diseaseDiagnosisBlood culture isolateCA/HAPositive blood cultures (n)Other bacteria recovered in blood cultureOutcome
AC, acute cholangitis; AF, atrial fibrillation; ALL, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; AML, acute myeloid leukaemia; Ca, carcinoma; CA, community acquired; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CRF, chronic renal failure; CVA, cerebrovascular accident; DM, diabetes mellitus; F, female; GIB, gastrointestinal bleeding; HA, hospital acquired; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; HT, hypertension; IHD, ischaemic heart disease; IO, intestinal obstruction; IVDA, intravenous drug abuse; M, male; PU, peptic ulcer; PVD, peripheral vascular disease; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; RPC, recurrent pyogenic cholangitis; SSS, sick sinus syndrome; TB, tuberculosis.
1F/86GallstonesInfected bed sore C perfringens CA1NoneCured
2F/83Ca cervix with liver metastasis, gallstonesPrimary bacteraemia C perfringens HA1NoneCured
3M/59Liver cirrhosis, hepatic encephalopathyPrimary bacteraemia C perfringens CA1NoneDied
4F/44Carcinoid tumour with liver metastasisAC C perfringens CA1 Klebsiella pneumoniae Died
5M/92HT, dementia, gallstonesAC C perfringens CA1 Escherichia coli Cured
6F/77HT, osteoporosisPrimary bacteraemia C perfringens CA1NoneCured
7M/1NoneIntussusception C perfringens CA1 E coli, K pneumoniae, Enterococcus gallinarum Died
8M/26IVDAGas gangrene of right leg C perfringens CA2NoneCured
9F/73Ca colon, HT, TBIntra-abdominal abscess C perfringens CA1NoneCured
10M/79Cholangiocarcinoma, gallstonesAC C perfringens CA1 Aeromonas sobria Cured
11F/88Dementia, rectovaginal and vesicovaginal fistulaInfected fistula C perfringens CA1NoneCured
12M/78CVA, SSS, RPCAC C perfringens CA2 Enterobacter aerogenes Cured
13F/75GallstonesAcute cholecystitis C perfringens CA1 E coli Cured
14M/69DM, gallstones, fatty liver, HT, IHD, hyperlipidaemia, PUAcute cholecystitis C perfringens CA1 E coli Cured
15F/69RA, Ca cervix, irradiation proctitis, cystitis, hydronephrosisPrimary bacteraemia C perfringens CA1NoneCured
16M/68HT, PUAcute cholecystitis C perfringens CA1 E coli Died
17M/95Gallstones, CVAAC and acute cholecystitis C perfringens CA1 E coli Cured
18M/72DM, HT, PVD, alcoholismWet gangrene of ?lower limbs C perfringens CA1 Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae Cured
19M/88Liver cirrhosis, COPD, HT, DM, CVA, CRFPrimary bacteraemia C perfringens CA1NoneCured
20M/84NoneAC, subphrenic abscess C perfringens CA1NoneCured
21F/70Sjogren’s syndrome, osteoporosis, PVD, big toe gangrene, AFRight foot gangrene C perfringens HA1NoneDied
22M/72HT, DM, COPD, CRF, RPC, old TB, gallstonesAC C perfringens CA1 E coli, K pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris Died
23M/64IHD, DM, HT, colonic diverticulitumAcute diverticulitis C perfringens CA2 E coli, K pneumoniae Cured
24F/59RPCAC C perfringens CA1 E coli Cured
25M/82Ca pancreas with peritoneal carcinomatosis, GIB, IOPrimary bacteraemia C perfringens CA1NoneCured
26M/90NoneAspiration pneumonia C perfringens CA1NoneCured
27M/46CRF, liver cirrhosis, hyperparathyroidismSpontaneous bacterial peritonitis C perfringens CA1NoneDied
28F/89IHD, CVA, AF, bronchiectasis, pyometraPrimary bacteraemia C perfringens CA1NoneCured
29M/46Renal cell Ca with lung and peritoneal metastasis, GIBPrimary bacteraemia C perfringens HA1 E coli, K pneumoniae Died
30F/84DM, HT, gallstonesAcute cholecystitis C perfringens CA1 E coli, K pneumoniae Cured
31M/54HCC, history of liver abscess, GIBPrimary bacteraemia C ramosum CA1Bacteroides fragilis groupDied
32M/71CVAInfected bed sore C ramosum HA1 Proteus mirabilis Cured
33M/78Ca sigmoid with liver metastasisPrimary bacteraemia C ramosum HA1 E coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus avium Died
34F/75Dementia, asthma, HT, DM, uterine prolapsePrimary bacteraemia C disporicum HA1NoneCured
35M/6mNoneIntussusception with peritonitis C paraputrificum CA1NoneCured
36F/40AML, dental caries, neutropenic feverPrimary bacteraemia C septicum CA1NoneCured
37F/12ALL, mucositis, neutropenic feverPrimary bacteraemia C tertium HA2NoneCured
38M/1mPrematurityNecrotising enterocolitis C difficile HA1 Enterobacter cloacae Died