Antibiotic-associated diarrhea in hospital: frequency and prophylaxis

Abstract

The aim. To analyze the prevalence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) caused by Clostridium difficile in a hospital setting.Materials and methods. 93 patients with 3 or more episodes of unformed stool (diarrhea) for two consecutive days or more, developed after the use of antibiotics, were monitored. All patients underwent rapid stool analysis for the presence of Clostridium difficile A and B toxins using the X/pert C. diff toxin A/B test.Results. Toxins A and/or B of Clostridium difficile were detected in 32 patients (34.4 %). The remaining patients (n = 61; 65.6 %) had idiopathic AAD. The most of the patients who were found to have Clostridium difficile toxins in the feces were in the infarction department, cardiology intensive care and trauma departments, i. e. they had severe diseases associated with reduced immunity and inactivity.Conclusions. The prevalence of AAD caused by Clostridium difficile in hospital settings is high. It is recommended to prescribe drugs for the correction of disorders of the gastrointestinal microflora from the first day of antibiotic therapy, since this will significantly reduce the prevalence of clinical manifestation of diarrhea associated with Clostridium difficile.