Liver abscess and sepsis caused by clostridium perfringens.

There is usually enough time for identifying the etiology of calculous cholestasis and cholangitis by imaging and laboratory investigations, provided that antimicrobial drug therapy is started immediately after collection of blood cultures and the patient's general condition is good. The situation changes, if the inflammation is caused by Clostridium perfringens, a rare causative agent of severe sepsis and massive intravascular hemolysis. Mortality from the resulting infection and sepsis is as high as over 70%. Quick recognition of the condition, initiation of antimicrobial drug therapy and drainage of a possible focus of infection may save the patient's life.