A 23-year old male was admitted to the hospital 3 days ago f…
A 23-year old male was admitted to the hospital 3 days ago for a nearly fatal gunshot wound to the upper left shoulder. Today he is complaining of severe pain, tenderness, and swelling in his upper shoulder. He has severe inflammation that is rapidly spreading down his arm. You notice that the affected area feels spongy to the touch, blisters on the skin, blackened skin, and a foul smelling odor. Gram-positive spore-forming bacilli were cultured from patient samples. The attending physician decides to surgically remove the dead tissue to prevent further spread and prescribes an antibiotic. A. Name the bacterium (genus and species name) that caused this infection. B. What disease does the patient have? C. Explain each clue provided in the narrative. D. Explain why the patient’s tissues became spongy to the touch.