Intraleukocytic spore formation and leukocytic vacuolization during Clostridium perfringens septicemia.
The case of a patient with fulminant Clostridium perfringens septicemia and intravascular hemolysis is presented. The organisms in the blood stream were in sufficient quantity to be detected on a peripheral blood smear, and some were found to be within leukocytes. In vivo spore formation by C. perfringens is thought to be uncommon; however, in this patient probable spore formation by this organism was observed within peripheral blood leukocytes. The peripheral polymorphonuclear leukocytes from this patient were also markedly vacuolated.
D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology; D003016:Clostridium perfringens; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D013171:Spores, Bacterial