Clostridial orthopedic infections: case reports and review of the literature.

Clostridia are anaerobic Gram-positive bacilli that can be isolated from the soil and the intestinal tract of humans. These microorganisms are recognized as the cause of devastating soft tissue infections, such as cellulitis, myositis, and gas gangrene. However, such bacteria may also be involved in various postoperative orthopedic infections, including prosthetic joint infection. We present three clinical cases of clostridial orthopedic infection and review the related medical literature.