Massive hemolysis in Clostridium perfringens infections.

Over a 14-month period at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 424 strains of Clostridium were isolated; of these, 52 strains were Clostridium perfringens isolated from 41 patients. Eight strains of C. perfringens were isolated from the blood of six patients; five of these patients had neoplastic disease and three developed massive intravascular hemolysis with rapidly developing shock and death. Clinical details are given on three patients with fatal Clostridium perfringens sepsis, and the nature of presentation and pathophysiologic mechanisms are discussed.