Wound: Clostridium perfringens – Shipped February 08, 2021
HISTORY
A simulated wound sample collected from 23 year old car crash victim was sent to category A laboratories. Participants were expected to report Clostridium perfringens and perform susceptibility testing.
MAIN EDUCATIONAL POINTS from M204-4
- The double zone hemolysis and colonial morphology on anaerobic blood agar, Brucella agar or PEA agar is suggestive of C. perfringens.
- C. perfringens is readily identified by MALDI-TOF, using commercial databases.
- While anaerobic gram positive bacilli is technically correct, correlation of this result with a Gram stain result that has gram positive rods suggestive of Clostridium would provide the clinician with valuable information that could save the patient’s limb or life.
- Given the clinical severity of infections with this organism, identification to the species level, or reference to a centre for speciation, is indicated.
