Septicemia caused by which organism is generally associated with an underlying malignancy?

• A. Clostridium septicum
• B. Bifidobacterium dentium
• C. Eubacterium lentum
• D. Lactobacillus catenaforme

Answer: (A)

The key point is that certain septicemias serve as red flags for an hidden cancer, especially in the gut. Clostridium septicum is classically linked to occult malignancy, particularly gastrointestinal cancers. When this organism is recovered from the blood, it prompts a workup for an underlying cancer because tumors and their necrotic/tissular changes create environments that favor this anaerobic bacterium and allow rapid seeding into the bloodstream. This association is well documented and clinically recognized, making it the best answer for septicemia signals prompting cancer screening.

The other organisms listed are part of the normal oral or gut flora and can cause infections mainly in immunocompromised hosts, but they do not have the same strong, consistent link to an underlying malignancy.