Sepsis and gas-forming splenic abscess by Clostridium septicum in a patient with type 2 diabetes

Received 18 November 2008; accepted 4 February 2009. published online 16 March 2009.

Abstract

Clostridium infections are rare but frequently associated with malignancy, and mortality approaches 100% if care is not rendered within 12 to 24 h. These infections are associated with various medical problems including diabetes mellitus. In this report, we describe a unique case of sepsis and a gas-forming splenic abscess caused by Clostridium septicum in a type 2 diabetes patient which was treatable solely with antibiotics.

Keywords: Sepsis, Gas-forming splemic abscess, Clostridium septicum, Type 2 diabetes

a Diabetes and Metabolic Disease Research Centre, Hidaka Hospital, Japan

b Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Henry Wellcome Centre for Gene Function, University of Oxford, OX1 3PT Oxford, United Kingdom

c Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia

Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 (0) 1865 285818.

PII: S1056-8727(09)00025-7

doi:10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2009.02.001

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