Clostridium Difficile Infection (C. diff): Symptoms and Treatment

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What is Clostridioides difficile?

Clostridioides difficile [klos–TRID–e–OY-dees dif–uh–SEEL] is formerly known as Clostridium difficile and often called C. difficile or C. diff. C. diff is a germ (bacterium) that causes diarrhea and colitis (an inflammation of the colon).

What is Clostridium difficile colitis?

C. diff is short for Clostridium difficile, an infectious bacterium that causes a condition known as clostridium difficile colitis. Colitis refers to inflammation of the wall of your colon. It can produce a range of symptoms. What causes it?

Can C difficile cause Clostridia?

C. difficile is commonly present in the intestines of newborns, healthy adults, and adults who are hospitalized. In these people, C. difficile typically do not cause illness unless they overgrow. However, these people can spread clostridia to at-risk people. Person-to-person spread can be prevented by meticulous hand washing .

What is Clostridium difficile (C difficile)?

What is Clostridium difficile (C. difficile)? C. difficile is a spore forming bacterium that can be found in stool specimens of many healthy children under the age of one year and some adults.1 Following antimicrobial treatment toxin-producing strains of C. difficile multiply and cause illness.

What is a severe C difficile infection?

Severe C. difficile infection is defined as a white blood cell count greater than 15,000 cells/microL, serum albumin less than 3 g/dL, and a serum creatinine level greater than 1.5 times the premorbid level. A severe initial episode can be treated with the same dosage of vancomycin or fidaxomicin as in initial non-severe C. difficile infection.

What Is Clostridium Difficile Infection

1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/c-difficile/symptoms-causes/syc-20351691
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-c-diff
3. https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/what-is.html
4. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/attachments/CDI-consumer-factsheet-brochure.pdf
5. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15548-c-diff-infection
6. https://patient.info/digestive-health/clostridium-difficile-c-diff
7. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/c-difficile/
8. https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-au/home/infections/bacterial-infections-anaerobic-bacteria/clostridioides-formerly-clostridium-difficile-induced-colitis-c-diff

Clostridium Difficile Infection Information

1. https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/gastroenteritis/Documents/Clostridium-factsheet-for-hcw.pdf
2. https://www.health.vic.gov.au/infectious-diseases/clostridium-difficile-associated-diarrhoea
3. https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/guidelines-procedures/diseases-infection/infection-prevention/management-advice/cdi
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431054/
5. https://www.sah.org.au/media/documents/About%20Us/IPC%20Factsheets/clostridium-difficile-fact-sheet.pdf