Among 21 patients with sepsis attributed solely to decubitus ulcers, bacteremia was documented in 16 (76 per cent)9 Bacteremia involved obligate anaerobes in eight patients (50 per cent) and was polymicrobial in eight patients (50 per cent). Twelve of 17 patients who received antibiotics had persistent bacteremia; in five patients, bacteremia was terminated only after surgical debridement. Ten of these 21 patients died, eight despite appropirate antibiotics. Among 14 patients who underwent surgical debridement, only four patients died. Surgical debridement and antibiotics effective against aerobic as well as anaerobic bacteria are both important in the treatment of this serious complication.