Sudden visual loss associated with clostridial bacteraemia.

A patient with endogenously acquired Clostridium septicum panophthalmitis is presented. The patient exhibited a striking sequence of signs and symptoms associated with this devastating ocular infection. Intensive antibiotic therapy was ineffective and enucleation of the globe was required. The microscopic pathology of the enucleated globe showed extensive infarction and necrosis of ocular structures in association with the panophthalmitis. In addition thrombosis of the central retinal artery and of choroidal vessels was observed.