C. difficile
Alternative Names
Clostridium difficile, C. difficile, C. diffWhat is C. difficile
C. difficile is a bacterium not a disease. It causes symptoms ranging from diarrhea to dangerous inflammation of the colon. Illnesses from C. difficile affect elderly people in hospitals and typically occur after use of antibiotic medications.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of the severe form of c.difficile infection include:
- Watery diarrhea 10 to 15 times a day
- Abdominal cramping and pain
- Fever
- Blood or pus in the stool
- Nausea
- Dehydration
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
Possible complications
C. difficile infections may lead to:
- Dehydration
- Kidney failure
- A hole in your large intestine (bowel perforation)
- Toxic mega-colon
- Death
What causes
C. difficile bacteria can be found in the environment (in soil, air, water and human and animal feces. C. difficile bacteria are spread to food, surfaces and objects when infected people do not wash their hands thoroughly. The bacteria produce hardy spores that can persist in a room for weeks or months. Without enough healthy bacteria killed by antibiotics in the human body C. difficile can quickly grow out of control.
Prevention
To prevent C. difficile spreading the following measures could be beneficial:
- Hand washing
- Contact precautions
- Thorough cleaning of the surfaces
- Avoiding unnecessary use of antibiotics
Treatment
A patient with C. difficile needs the following treatment:
- Antibiotics (metronidazole (Flagyl) for mild to moderate illness, Vancomycin (Vancocin) for more severe symptoms)
- Probiotics for restoring a healthy balance to the intestinal tract
- Surgery for people with severe pain, organ failure or inflammation of the lining of the abdominal wall
