Non-antibiotic strategies for the prevention/treatment of Clostridium difficile infection

Abstract

Background: Clostridium difficile infection has become a serious concern in both hospital and secondary healthcare environments. In the presence of repeated or prolonged antibiotic treatment, the C. difficile spores can germinate in the colon and produce toxins that cause colonic inflammation and diarrhea. The standard treatment for C. difficile-associated disease (CDAD) usually involves the withdrawal of the antibiotic treatment that led to the CDAD followed by a course of oral metronidazole or vancomycin, but there has been an increasing number of treatment failures and recurrences of disease. Over the past 10 – 15 years, researchers have begun exploring the possibility of using alternative means to combat C. difficile infection. Objective/methods: Over the course of the past 5 years, there has been a considerable amount of patent literature focused on non-antibiotic alternatives, including passive and active immunizations, monoclonal antibodies, antitoxins, inert binders and probiotic therapies. Results/conclusion: Current antibiotic therapies for the treatment of CDAD are not as effective as they once were. There is some promising work on non-antibiotic alternatives for CDAD prevention and treatment.