A survived case of diabetic nonclostridial gas gangrene and the review of the literatures on microbiological findings.

Nonclostridial gas gangrene in diabetics results in poor prognosis. In this paper, a survived case of diabetic nonclostridial gas gangrene caused by Proteus vulgaris and Streptococcus faecalis is described and microbiological findings of 31 cases of the literatures including our own case were reviewed. Twenty of 31 cases died (64.5%). The microbiological findings in 30 cases revealed an average of 1.8 organism per case. Predominant aerobes were E. Coli (56.7%), Streptococcus faecalis (16.7%), aerobic Streptococcus and Proteus (both 13.3%) in that order. Anaerobes were found in 12 of 20 cases and isolated anaerobes were Bacteroides (8 cases) and Peptococcus (4 cases). The role of specific bacteria in causing severe form of nonclostridial gas gangrene in diabetics was suggested.