What agent causes gas gangrene?
Gas gangrene is most often caused by bacteria called Clostridium perfringens. It also can be caused by group A streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Vibrio vulnificus. Clostridium is found nearly everywhere.
What is the other name of gas gangrene?
Background. Gas gangrene and clostridial myonecrosis are interchangeable terms used to describe an infection of muscle tissue by toxin-producing clostridia. In 1861, Louis Pasteur identified the first clostridial species, Clostridium butyricum.
Why is it called gas gangrene?
Gas gangrene is most commonly caused by infection with a bacterium called Clostridium perfringens. Bacteria gather in an injury or surgical wound that has no blood supply. The bacterial infection produces toxins that release gas and cause tissue death. Like wet gangrene, gas gangrene is a life-threatening condition.
How does gas gangrene spread?
The gas can form bubbles and blisters in tissue. Often, the infection blocks small blood vessels. As a result, the infected tissue dies, leading to gangrene. The dead tissue enables the clostridial infection to spread even faster.
What does myonecrosis look like?
Because clostridial myonecrosis affects deep muscle tissue initially, the skin near the infection site may be unaffected at first. Eventually, the skin may become pale, and over time usually darkens to reddish or brownish color. Eventually, bullae may form.
What is the example of alpha toxins?
Alpha toxin or alpha-toxin refers to several different protein toxins produced by bacteria, including: Staphylococcus aureus alpha toxin, a membrane-disrupting toxin that creates pores causing hemolysis and tissue damage.
What are the two types of gangrene?
Gangrene may be broadly classified into two types – dry and wet gangrene….This may be of three further types:
- traumatic gas gangrene occurring after injury.
- non-traumatic gas gangrene.
- recurrent gas gangrene caused by C. perfringens species of bacteria.
How do you control gas gangrene?
Treatment of Gas Gangrene If gas gangrene is suspected, treatment must begin immediately. High doses of antibiotics, typically penicillin and clindamycin, are given, and all dead and infected tissue is removed surgically. About one of five people with gas gangrene in a limb requires amputation.
What is gas gangrene?
Gas gangrene. Gas gangrene (also known as clostridial myonecrosis and myonecrosis) is a bacterial infection that produces gas in tissues in gangrene.
What is alpha toxin in staph?
Alpha toxin is a 33,000 D polypeptide produced by most S. aureus strains that cause disease in humans. The toxin disrupts the smooth muscle of the blood vessels and is toxic to many cells. It is a mediator of tissue damage in staphylococcal disease.
How does Clostridium perfringens cause gas gangrene?
Clostridium perfringens type A strains that produce alpha-toxin cause gas gangrene, which is a life-threatening infection with fever, pain, edema, myonecrosis and gas production. Intramuscular injection of the toxin or Bacillus subtilis carrying the alpha-toxin gene causes myonecrosis and produces h …
What is gamma toxin made up of?
Gamma toxin (manufactured by most strains of S. aureus) and Leucocidin PV are toxins made up of two components that consist of two polypeptide chains: the S component (slow eluting proteins) and the F component (proteins of rapid elution). Proteins S (and two proteins F) have been identified.