OBJECTIVE: In 2005, 4 Clostridium sordellii-associated toxic shock fatalities were reported in young Californian women after medical abortions. The true incidence of this rare disease is unknown, and a population-based study has never been performed. Additional clostridia-associated deaths were sought to describe associated clinical characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: Population-based death certificate review and a clinical case definition for clostridial-associated toxic shock identified women with likelihood of dying from a Clostridium infection. Formalin-fixed autopsy tissues underwent immunohistochemical and polymerase chain reaction assays. RESULTS: Thirty-eight women were suspected of having C sordellii-associated death. Five tested positive for Clostridium species: 3 for Clostridium perfringens, 1 for C sordellii, and 1 for both. Deaths occurred after the medical procedures for cervical dysplasia (n = 2), surgical abortion (n = 1), stillborn delivery (n = 1), and term live birth (n = 1). None had a medical abortion. CONCLUSION: C sordellii and C perfringens are associated with undiagnosed catastrophic infectious gynecologic illnesses among women of childbearing age.
OBJECTIVE: In 2005, 4 Clostridium sordellii-associated toxic shock fatalities were reported in young Californian women after medical abortions. The true incidence of this rare disease is unknown, and a population-based study has never been performed. Additional clostridia-associated deaths were sought to describe associated clinical characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: Population-based death certificate review and a clinical case definition for clostridial-associated toxic shock identified women with likelihood of dying from a Clostridiuminfection. Formalin-fixed autopsy tissues underwent immunohistochemical and polymerase chain reaction assays. RESULTS: Thirty-eight women were suspected of having C sordellii-associated death. Five tested positive for Clostridium species: 3 for Clostridium perfringens, 1 for C sordellii, and 1 for both. Deaths occurred after the medical procedures for cervical dysplasia (n = 2), surgical abortion (n = 1), stillborn delivery (n = 1), and term live birth (n = 1). None had a medical abortion. CONCLUSION: C sordellii and C perfringens are associated with undiagnosed catastrophic infectious gynecologic illnesses among women of childbearing age.
Authors: Glen P Carter; Milena M Awad; Yibai Hao; Tennille Thelen; Ingrid L Bergin; Pauline M Howarth; Torsten Seemann; Julian I Rood; David M Aronoff; Dena Lyras Journal: Infect Immun Date: 2011-01-03 Impact factor: 3.441
Authors: Seth T Walk; Ruchika Jain; Itishree Trivedi; Sylvia Grossman; Duane W Newton; Tennille Thelen; Yibai Hao; J Glenn Songer; Glen P Carter; Dena Lyras; Vincent B Young; David M Aronoff Journal: Anaerobe Date: 2011-06-25 Impact factor: 3.331