Clostridium Difficile Colitis (cont.)
Dennis Lee, MD
Dennis Lee, MD
Dr. Lee was born in Shanghai, China, and received his college and medical training in the United States. He is fluent in English and three Chinese dialects. He graduated with chemistry departmental honors from Harvey Mudd College. He was appointed president of AOA society at UCLA School of Medicine. He underwent internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
In this Article
What is Clostridium difficile (C. difficile?)
Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a bacterium that is related to the bacteria that cause tetanus and botulism. The C. difficile bacterium has two forms, an active, infectious form that cannot survive in the environment for prolonged periods, and a nonactive, "noninfectious" form, called a spore, that can survive in the environment for prolonged periods. Although spores cannot cause infection directly, when they are ingested they transform into the active, infectious form.
C. difficile spores are found frequently in:
They can be found on:
They even can be carried by pets. Thus, these environments are a ready source for infection with C. difficile.
What Clostridium difficile colitis?
Antibiotic-associated (C. difficile) colitis is an infection of the colon caused by C. difficile that occurs primarily among individuals who have been using antibiotics. C. difficile infections are commonly acquired during hospital stays, infecting approximately 1% of patients admitted to hospitals in the United States. C. difficile may also be acquired in the community, however.
It is the most common infection acquired by patients while they are in the hospital. More than three million C. difficile infections occur in hospitals in the US each year. After a stay of only two days in a hospital, 10% of patients will develop infection with C. difficile. C. difficile also may be acquired outside of hospitals in the community. It is estimated that 20,000 infections with C. difficile occur in the community each year in the U.S.
Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 3/6/2014
Viewers share their comments
C. Difficile - Diagnosis Question: How was your clostridium difficile colitis diagnosed?
C. Difficile - Share Your Experience Question: Please share your experience with C. difficile colitis.
C. Difficile - Symptoms Question: What were your symptoms associated with C. difficile colitis?
C. Difficile - Antibiotics that cause it Question: Did antibiotics cause your C. difficile colitis? Which one(s) did you take?