Clinical Care of C. perfringens food poisoning

For Health Care Providers

Key points

  • Most infections are self-limited.
  • Patients should drink extra fluids as long as they have diarrhea.
  • Antibiotic treatment is not recommended.
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Treatment recommendations

Most people recover from C. perfringens food poisoning without treatment.

Oral rehydration or, in severe cases, intravenous fluids with electrolytes can be used to prevent or treat dehydration.

Antibiotic treatment is not recommended.

For Public Health Selected publications on C. perfringens food poisoning
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Content Source
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)
About This Page
Published: May 15, 2024
Updated: April 3, 2024

This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.

Reviewed: October 28, 2026

The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.