One of the most serious infections of muscles is gangrene. Gangrene is the death of muscle tissues due to bacterial infection or the absence of blood supply.
It may affect a small area of skin, a finger or a large part of an arm or leg. The affected area turns black and gives an unpleasant smell as it spreads. The surrounding area becomes red and swollen. Pus comes out of the area which has turned black.
When gangrene is caused by bacterial infection, the affected part is cut off.
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Gangreen is caused by bacteria named Clostridium perfringens. The significance is that this bacteria, as is true of its cousins that cause tetanus and botulism, only grows in environments that are low in oxygen. Healthy living tissue is rich in oxygen so a gangrene infection requires dead tissue so once it sets in it is proof positive that the affected part of the body cannot be saved.