Clostridial infection in children

Abstract

A survey of the isolation of Clostridium spp. from 1543 specimens sent to anaerobic microbiology laboratories revealed 113 isolates from 107 specimens (7.0% of all specimens) from 96 children. The isolates comprised 43 (38%) unidentified Clostridium spp., 37 (33%) C. perfringens, 13 (12%) C. ramosum, five (4%) C. innocuum, six (5%) C. botulinum, three (3%) C. difficile, two (2%) C. butyricum, and one isolate each of C. bifermentans, C. clostridiiforme, C. limosum and C. paraputrificum. Most clostridial isolates were from abscesses (38), peritonitis (26), bacteraemia (10), and chronic otitis media (7). Predisposing or underlying conditions were present in 31 (32%) cases. These were immunodeficiency (12), malignancy (9), diabetes (7), trauma (7), presence of a foreign body (6) and previous surgery (6). The clostridia were the only bacterial isolates in 14 (15%) cases; 82 (85%) cases had mixed infection. The species most commonly isolated with clostridia were anaerobic cocci (57); Bacteroides spp. (B. fragilis group) (50), Escherichia coli (22), pigmented Prevotella or Porphyromonas spp. (18) and Fusobacterium spp. (10). Most Bacteroides and Escherichia coli isolates with clostridia were from abdominal infections and skin and soft tissue infections adjacent to the rectal area; most pigmented Prevotella and Porphyromonas isolates were from oropharyngeal, pulmonary, and head and neck sites. Antimicrobial therapy was given to all patients, in conjunction with surgical drainage in 34 (35%). Only two patients died. These data illustrate the importance of Clostridium spp. in paediatric infections.