Clostridium perfringens Bacteremia Secondary to Stercoral Colitis in a Patient With Advanced Parkinson’s Disease: A Rare Case Report

<i>Clostridium perfringens</i> infections are often associated with high mortality and typically result from soft tissue infections. Stercoral colitis, a complication of fecal infection, is more frequently linked to gram-negative bacteremia. We present a rare case of <i>C. perfringens</i> bacteremia caused by stercoral colitis. A 62-year-old woman with advanced Parkinson's disease, dementia, and immobility presented with altered mental status. Stroke was ruled out. Blood cultures grew <i>C. perfringens</i> without signs of soft tissue infection. A CT of the abdomen showed stercoral colitis with fecal impaction. She was treated with a seven-day course of intravenous metronidazole and an aggressive bowel regimen. She remained hemodynamically stable and was discharged in stable condition for outpatient follow-up. This case highlights stercoral colitis as a potential source of C. perfringens bacteremia even without perforation or soft tissue involvement. Early antibiotics, bowel decompression, and nutritional support can improve outcomes in high-risk patients.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Cureus
Published
2026-02-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.103471
Primary Topic
Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Clostridium perfringens Bacteremia Secondary to Stercoral Colitis in a Patient With Advanced Parkinson’s Disease: A Rare Case Report

Cheyenne Moffett, Jaskaran Singh, Shreya Muralidharan, Sorabh Sharma et al.
Cureus
Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
article

Clostridium perfringens Bacteremia Secondary to Stercoral Colitis in a Patient With Advanced Parkinson’s Disease: A Rare Case Report

Cheyenne Moffett, Jaskaran Singh, Shreya Muralidharan, Sorabh Sharma, Nidhay Prakashkar
article en

Abstract

<i>Clostridium perfringens</i> infections are often associated with high mortality and typically result from soft tissue infections. Stercoral colitis, a complication of fecal infection, is more frequently linked to gram-negative bacteremia. We present a rare case of <i>C. perfringens</i> bacteremia caused by stercoral colitis. A 62-year-old woman with advanced Parkinson's disease, dementia, and immobility presented with altered mental status. Stroke was ruled out. Blood cultures grew <i>C. perfringens</i> without signs of soft tissue infection. A CT of the abdomen showed stercoral colitis with fecal impaction. She was treated with a seven-day course of intravenous metronidazole and an aggressive bowel regimen. She remained hemodynamically stable and was discharged in stable condition for outpatient follow-up. This case highlights stercoral colitis as a potential source of C. perfringens bacteremia even without perforation or soft tissue involvement. Early antibiotics, bowel decompression, and nutritional support can improve outcomes in high-risk patients.

CureusVol. 18(2)
Government Medical College (IN), University of Arizona (US), Institute of Medical Sciences (IN), B.J. Medical College (IN)
Zero hunger
Openalex Percentile: Top 57%
Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.