CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE

(Commonly called C-Diff)

Clo stridium difficile is a deadly Superbug you may not have heard of until now but I can assure you, you will be hearing a lot more about it.  Medical staff are now suggesting that it is resoponsible for more deaths than MRSA.

Clostridium difficile is a "bad" bacteria. C-Diff is a spore-forming, gram-positive bacillus that produces exotoxins that are pathogenic to humans and is present in feces. It is the main cause of antibiotic-associated colitis in humans. It is difficult to treat because it is an anaerobic, gram-positive bacterium, which forms heat resistant spores that can survive for long periods in the environment. Clostridium difficile is the major cause of nosocomial diarrhoea and antimicrobial-associated colitis. It is one of the most common causes of infection of the large bowel (the colon) in the US affecting millions of people yearly. It causes diarrhoea, sometimes with abdominal pain and vomiting. Enteritis due to Clostridium difficile is an increasing problem. It is however one of many kinds of bacteria commonly found in the digestive tract.

Clostridium difficile is normally present in the intestines of about 15 to 70% of newborns and a considerable proportion of healthy adults.  Clostridium difficile is carried in the gastrointestinal tract of a small proportion of adults in the community, with higher rates in hospital patients. CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE is the most important cause of nosocomial diarrhea in adults. Clostridium difficile is one of the most common causes of infection of the large bowel (the colon) in the US affecting millions of people yearly.

Enteritis due to Clostridium difficile is an increasing problem. Although this hospital-acquired infection has only hit the headlines in the UK, many experts think Clostridium difficile is even more problematic than MRSA.

How Is Chlostridium Difficile Treated

Clostridium difficile is usually treated with Vancomysin and Metronidazole. Since Clostridium difficile is a gram positive anaerobe, Gentamicin would not be effective,

Where Am I Most Likely To Catch C-Diff

Clostridium difficile is especially common in hospitals and nursing homes as it is usually linked to antibiotic-associated diarrhea.  It is an organism that causes diarrhoea when patients have been on antibiotics for some time. It is a bacterium that is related to the bacterium that also causes tetanus and botulism. The bacterium Clostridium difficile is now recognized to be a principal cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Clostridium difficile is responsible for over 75% of the diarrhea-associated enteric infections acquired during a hospital stay.It is the major infectious cause of diarrhoea that is acquired in hospitals in the UK and experts say the bug Clostridium difficile is endemic throughout the health service.

Are Cases Of C-Diff Getting Less

Figures showed Clostridium difficile is on the RISE in England, while MRSA is falling - but not quickly enough to meet the government's target.