Clostridium Dificile (C Diff)
Description
Bacteria that cause infection in the large intestine (colitis). It usually occurs 4-5 days after taking a strong antibiotic, and is more commonly found in patients who have been in a hospital or nursing home. Older patients and those with a weakened immune system get more serious infections. The range of illness is wide causing anything from simple diarrhea to a life threatening infection. It is becoming an increasing complication with being admitted to the hospital with patients giving the bacteria to each other. This is called a nosocomial infection.
Symptoms
Diarrhea, abdominal cramping and pain, fever, bloody stools, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, fainting.
Tests
A history and physical exam will be performed. A stool sample will be tested to look for the toxins C. difficile produces. A colonoscopy may be done to examine the inside of the colon. Rarely a CT scan will be performed to look for damage done by the infection.
- CBC
- Chem 12
- CT Scan
Treatment
The mainstay of treatment is giving the oral antibiotics metronidazole/Flagyl or vancomycin/Vancocin. If the diarrhea has been severe the patient may be dehydrated or have problems with the blood chemistry requiring intravenous fluids. Rarely the infection is severe enough to cause a hole in the intestine (perforation) requiring surgical removal of the intestine.
Related Videos
Research
- Family Practice
- Gastroenterology
- Gastroenterology
- Internal Medicine
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatrics
Share Your Experience
Do you have experience with this disease? Do you or someone
you know suffer from Clostridium dificile (C diff)?
Please share you experience with other members of the iTriage community.
I was in the hospital 13 days with c-diff.They had tried flagal,but it didn't work.So they went to the medicine.Don't remember the name of it.but there is only two medicines that they can use.You have to take it for ten days.They can't stop the diarrhea to soon becausit could cause you to die