Taxonomy
Family: Clostridiaceae

Natural habitats
Ubiquitous in nature, being found in the soil and feces from animals, especially ruminants.
Is rarely isolated from feces of healthy people

Clinical significance.
This bacterium is the principal cause of trauma-associated gas gangrene and their incidence increases dramatically in times of war, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other mass casualty conditions.

The clinical importance of recognizing C. septicum bacteremia and starting appropiate treatment immediately cannot be overemphasized.

Patients with this condition are usually gravely ill and may have metastatic spread to distant anatomic sites, resulting in spontaneous myonecrosis.

Mortality rates are very high. Clostridium septicum isolated from blood cultures may indicate cancer or other diseases of the colon.