Fatal Acute Spontaneous Endometritis Resulting from Clostridium sordellii

Abstract

Intrauterine clostridial infections have historically been associated with puerperal sepsis, often subsequent to instrumented abortions. Isolated reports have been associated with a malignant neoplasm or degenerating leiomyoma, most often after instrumentation, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy. In these cases, well-known risk factors or obvious niduses for growth and causation of disease were identified. The authors report a case of fatal spontaneous endometritis resulting from Clostridum sordellii, which, to their knowledge, has not been previously reported in the literature. Characteristics of this rare virulent human pathogen are discussed.