Abstract
Clostridium difficile is the main cause of nosocomial diarrhea. Diarrhea associated with C. difficile has increased incidence, morbidity, and mortality in the last few years. The major related risk factors include use of antibiotics, elderly patients and prolonged hospital stay. Many patients receive combinations of antibiotics or multiple antibiotics, which represents the main risk to develop diarrhea associated to C. difficile or its recurrence. Therefore, interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing, as well as compliance with infection control measures can reduce hospital-acquired C. difficile infections. This review addresses the epidemiological changes in C. difficile disease and its treatment.
Highlights
Clostridium difficile (CD) was first described in 1935(1)
The main risk factor associated to CD is the previous use of antibiotics
Risk factors The main risk factors associated to CD are age older than 65, use of laxatives, proton pump inhibitors or H2 histamine as gastric protection, chemotherapy, renal failure, gastrointestinal surgery, nasogastric tube, mechanical ventilation, prolonged hospital stay and previous antibiotic therapy(10,12)
Summary
Clostridium difficile (CD) was first described in 1935(1). It is a Gram-positive sporulated bacteria, difficult to be grown in the usual culture media, called difficile(2). Risk factors The main risk factors associated to CD are age older than 65, use of laxatives, proton pump inhibitors or H2 histamine as gastric protection, chemotherapy, renal failure, gastrointestinal surgery, nasogastric tube, mechanical ventilation, prolonged hospital stay and previous antibiotic therapy(10,12) Many such factors are found in patients in Intensive Care Units (ICU), with a proper environment for higher incidence and hospital dissemination . The trigger for growth of CD is the release of toxins and the use of antibiotics(19) In those people colonized by CD, the specific humoral response is fast, and the level of IgG antibodies specific for the toxins is higher when compared to noncolonized patients(19). There is the risk, during treatment, of having vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp(18) It is indicated in patients with severe infection or who relapse(18). Antimicrobial treatment for Clostridium difficile infection, based on severity(6)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
