Editing Clostridium perfringens (section)

== Epidemiology ==
''Clostridium perfringens'' is responsible for an estimated 966,000 cases annually, or about 10.3% of all foodborne illnesses in which a pathogen is identified. Transmission typically occurs when food contaminated with ''C. perfringens'' spores is consumed, allowing the bacteria to produce a toxin in the intestines that causes diarrhea. Outbreaks are often associated with foods cooked in large batches, such as poultry, meat, and gravy, and held at unsafe temperatures between 40-140&nbsp;°F, which allows the bacteria to thrive. These outbreaks tend to occur in settings where large groups are served, such as hospitals, school cafeterias, prisons, nursing homes, and catered events. In most cases, ''C. perfringens'' infection causes mild symptoms, including watery diarrhea and mild abdominal cramps, with symptoms typically appearing 8 to 12 hours after consuming contaminated food and resolving within 24 hours. About 90% of affected individuals recover without seeking medical attention, usually within two days. However, vulnerable groups such as the elderly, young children, and immunocompromised individuals face a higher risk of severe complications like dehydration, which can lead to more serious illness or, in rare cases, death. Each year, ''C. perfringens'' infections result in approximately 438 hospitalizations and 26 deaths, accounting for 0.8% of foodborne illness-related hospitalizations and 1.9% of associated deaths. Outbreaks are most common in November and December, coinciding with holiday foods like turkey and roast beef. The economic burden of ''C. perfringens'' is significant, estimated at $342.7 million annually, including $53.2 million in medical costs, $64.3 million in productivity loss, and $225 million related to fatalities.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hoffmann |first1=Sandra |last2=Maculloch |first2=Bryan |last3=Batz |first3=Michael |title=Economic Burden of Major Foodborne Illnesses Acquired in the United States |url=https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=43987 |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=www.ers.usda.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=CDC |date=2024-05-16 |title=About C. perfringens food poisoning |url=https://www.cdc.gov/clostridium-perfringens/about/index.html#:~:text=Clostridium%20perfringens%20bacteria%20are%20a%20common%20cause%20of,C.%20perfringens%20makes%20spores,%20which%20have%20protective%20coatings. |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=Clostridium perfringens Food Poisoning |language=en-us}}</ref>

Clostridial necrotizing enteritis is rare in the United States; typically, it occurs in populations with a higher risk. Data show that of the 9.4 million cases of foodborne illness in the United States each year, only about 11% are caused by ''Clostridium perfringens''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Scallan |first1=Elaine |last2=Hoekstra |first2=Robert M. |last3=Angulo |first3=Frederick J. |last4=Tauxe |first4=Robert V. |last5=Widdowson |first5=Marc-Alain |last6=Roy |first6=Sharon L. |last7=Jones |first7=Jeffery L. |last8=Griffin |first8=Patricia M. |date=January 2011 |title=Foodborne Illness Acquired in the United States—Major Pathogens |journal=Emerging Infectious Diseases |language=en |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=7–15 |doi=10.3201/eid1701.P11101 |pmc=3375761 |pmid=21192848}}</ref> "Risk factors for [[enteritis necroticans]] include protein-deficient diet, unhygienic food preparation, sporadic feasts of meat (after long periods of a protein-deficient diet), diets containing large amounts of [[trypsin]] inhibitors ([[sweet potatoes]]), and areas prone to infection of the parasite ''[[Ascaris]]'' (produces a trypsin inhibitor). This disease is contracted in populations living in New Guinea, parts of Africa, Central America, South America, and Asia.<ref name="Lentino-2016" />

Risk factors for gas gangrene include severe injuries, abdominal surgeries, and underlying health conditions such as [[colon cancer]], diseases of the blood vessels, [[diabetes]], and [[diverticulitis]]. However, the most common way to get gas gangrene is through a traumatic injury. In the United States, there is only about 1000 cases of gas gangrene per year. When addressed with adequate care, gas gangrene has a mortality rate of 20-30% but has a mortality rate of 100% if left untreated.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Buboltz |first1=Jerome B. |title=Gas Gangrene |date=2024 |work=StatPearls |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537030/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |place=Treasure Island (FL) |publisher=StatPearls Publishing |pmid=30725715 |last2=Murphy-Lavoie |first2=Heather M.}}</ref>