Outbreak of necrotising enterocolitis caused by Clostridium butyricum

Lancet. 1977 Nov 26;2(8048):1099-1102. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(77)90546-3.

Abstract

12 hospital-born babies had necrotising enterocolitis, of varying severity, within six weeks, 5 of them within ten days. The usually described predisposing causes were absent in most, though no baby was exclusively breast -fed. Evidence of the presence of Clostridium butyricum was found in the blood of 9 out of 10 babies examined. Cl. butyricum is probably a primary, not a secondary invader.

MeSH terms

  • Clostridium / isolation & purification
  • Clostridium Infections / epidemiology*
  • Clostridium Infections / microbiology
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology*
  • Cross Infection / microbiology
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / epidemiology*
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / microbiology
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Newborn, Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Infant, Newborn, Diseases / microbiology
  • London
  • Male
  • Necrosis
  • Sepsis / microbiology