Role of Clostridium Perfringens in Neonatal Necrotizing Enterocolitis and the Utility of Anaerobic Blood Cultures

Abstract

Introduction: Clostridium perfringens is a gram-positive anaerobic bacillus that causes various clinical diseases, including necrotizing enterocolitis in newborns. The progression could be fulminant and lethal. Presentation of the cases: We report 3 cases of necrotizing enterocolitis due to C. perfringens from 2 high-complexity public centers in Chile.
Conclusion: Strong clinical suspicion combined with early microbiological identification may modify patient evolution. Anaerobic blood cultures have become a fundamental diagnostic method; therefore, having this tool in neonatal units would be useful.