Types of injury associated with gas gangrene:
(1) traumatic injuries with introduction of soil or foreign material, including compound fracture
(2) gunshot wounds
(3) penetrating wounds (knife, sword, bayonet, etc.)
(4) surgical wounds, typically to bowel or biliary tract
(5) colon disease (rupture, diverticulitis, cancer, other)
(6) septic abortion
(7) parenteral injection of a medication
(8) injection of heroin or methamphetamine
Risk factors for infection:
(1) neutropenia
(2) delayed therapy
(3) inadequate therapy (debridement and antibiotics)
(4) arterial insufficiency with ischemia
(5) presence of soil and/or a foreign body
(6) presence of devitalized muscle
(7) diabetes mellitus
