Atypical clostridial bacteremia.

Forty-seven patients identified with clostridial bacteremia not characterized by histotoxicity were studied to define better the clinical presentation and results of treatment. Patients were categorized into three groups--one, elderly debilitated patients with multiple associated illnesses and no identifiable focus of infection; two, patients with alcoholism and systemic complications of alcohol abuse and no primary focus of infection, and three, patients with a mechanically treatable primary focus of infection. The over-all mortality was an unacceptable 57 per cent. Antibiotic therapy apparently did not affect the survival rate. Portal bacteremia and ineffective hepatic reticuloendothelial function may be significant factors in those patients without a primary focus of infection.