• Gareth Turnbull, Euan Spierits, David Russell, Jon Clarke, Frédéric Picard, and Martin Sarungi.
• Clinical Research Fellow, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, UK.
• Scot Med J. 2018 Nov 1; 63 (4): 132-139.

IntroductionThe Clostridia species are responsible for life-threatening conditions such as tetanus, botulism and gas gangrene. Clostridium septicum is a rare cause of clinical infection, accounting for less than 1% of blood culture samples that test positive for Clostridia. However, C. septicum bacteraemia is associated with greater than 60% mortality and in over 80% of cases is associated with an underlying malignancy.Case PresentationWe present a review of the literature and the first case of an acute arthroplasty infection and concurrent infective aortitis caused by this organism in the absence of an identified underlying malignancy. Early diagnosis and multi-disciplinary input resulted in the patient surviving a rare and potentially fatal infective aortitis and septic arthritis.ConclusionThis case demonstrates the importance of early systemic investigation to exclude occult infective aortitis in C. septicum infection. The key role of multi-disciplinary input into the management of this often fatal infection is also discussed along with the requirement to exclude occult gastrointestinal and haematological malignancy.

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