Clostridial Myonecrosis or Gas Gangrene

Clostridial Myonecrosis or Gas Gangrene

Introduction/Background

Popular infectious diseases are a very serious scary thing indeed, but the diseases you see the least of, are the diseases we really must fear the most. Gas gangrene and “Clostridial myonecrosis” are interchangeable terms used to describe an infection of muscle tissue by toxin-producing clostridia. Gas gangrene gained recognition during time of war because it mainly affects trauma or wounds. “During World War I 10 to 12% of all deaths were of Gas gangrene. This mortality rate decreased between 0.3 and 1.5% during World War II and to 0.016% during the Vietnam War.”(Pailler & Labeeu, 1986)

Clostridia spores are anaerobic (multiply without oxygen - Anaerobic) is present, always, in the form of spores (Spores) in the soil and in the large intestine. In order to get gas gangrene should provide two conditions: first, the presence of injured tissue damage due to injury or as a result of blockage of a blood vessel bringing suffering from a lack of blood supply and oxygen(Chang et al. 2008). And second, spores of Clostridium entry into this fabric. About two-thirds of cases of gas gangrene occur in wounds injuries or surgeries. The remaining one-third of cases occurs without any injured a former distinguishes patients with peripheral vascular disease, diabetes , colon cancer, or low resistance to insulin. Statistics indicate that about 2,000 people are injured in this situation in the United States, annually.

Disease Description

Gas gangrene is an infectious disease caused by an exotoxin in the form of some species of Clostridial. Dr Hoi Ho describes this complex disease by saying, “Gas gangrene is caused by an anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming bacillus of the genus Clostridium. C perfringens is the most common etiologic agent that causes gas gangrene. Other common clostridial species that cause gas gangrene include Clostridium bifermentans, septicum, sporogenes, novyi, fallax, histolyticum, and tertium.”(Ho) As you can see Gas gangrene can be caused by many different organisms all of which can be present in soil and dust.

The onset is usually sudden, with increasing pain in the affected area, accompanied by hypotension and tachycardia. The temperature is usually elevated, but not to the extent of inflammation. In the later stages of the disease are severe prostration, stupor, delirium and coma (Rapini et al., 2012). The wound becomes swollen, pale skin surrounding fluid below it. This is followed by the elimination of brown serous fluid, bloody and smelly. As the disease progresses the neighboring tissue changes color from pale to dark with red coalescing vesicles filled with fluid. Gas can be felt in the tissues (cutaneous emphysema). In this condition is often misrepresented hemolysis and jaundice, which is often complicated by kidney failure. Gas gangrene is a clinical diagnosis, rather than bacterial.

Clinical Manifestations

Gas gangrene is an incredibly serious disease and if one were to get these symptoms they must seek professional help right away. The typical signs and symptoms of gas gangrene include severe pain and tenderness, local swelling, skin discoloration, necrotic bullae (blisters), crepitus (popping sound), ...