Paraclostridium sordellii

Paeniclostridium sordellii (formerly Clostridium sordellii) is a rare anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming rod with peritrichous flagella that is capable of causing pneumonia, endocarditis, arthritis, peritonitis, and myonecrosis. Paeniclostridium sordellii bacteremia and sepsis occur rarely. Most cases of sepsis from P. sordellii occur in patients with underlying conditions. Severe toxic shock syndrome among previously healthy persons has been described in a small number of P. sordellii cases, most often associated with gynecologic infections in women and infection of the umbilical stump in newborns. It has also been described in post-partum females, medically induced abortions, injection drug users and trauma cases. So far, all but one documented post-partum females who contracted P. sordellii septicaemia have died, and all but one woman who contracted the bacterium post-abortion have died .