Clostridium Difficile<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 (klo\u2013strid\u2013ee\u2013um \u00a0dif\u2013uh\u2013seel)<\/p>\n What is Clostridium Difficile<\/em>?<\/strong> How does C. difficile<\/em> cause infections?<\/strong> Are C. difficile<\/em> infections common?<\/strong> Who is at risk for getting a C. difficile<\/em> infection?<\/strong> Other risk factors for getting a C. difficile<\/em> infection include advanced age, taking a proton pump inhibitor such as Prilosec\u00ae and Prevacid\u00ae, an underlying illness, immunosuppression, tube feeds, a long stay in a healthcare setting, and the use of laxatives.<\/p>\n How is C. difficile<\/em> spread?<\/strong> People can become infected if they touch items or surfaces that are contaminated with feces and then touch their mouth or mucous membranes, such as eyes, nose, etc.\u00a0 C. difficile<\/em>\u00a0is shed in feces. Therefore, any surface, device, or material such as toilets, bathing tubs, light switches, electronic rectal thermometers etc. that becomes contaminated with feces may serve as a reservoir for the\u00a0bacterial\u00a0spores.\u00a0 C. difficile<\/em> has been found in some meat products; however, the transmission from animals to humans has not been proven.\u00a0 The overwhelming majority of C. difficile<\/em> infections are spread from human to human.<\/p>\n What are the symptoms of a C. difficile<\/em> infection?<\/strong> Other symptoms that may be present include stomach cramps, abdominal pain or tenderness, fever, nausea, loss of appetite, and altered blood chemicals.<\/p>\n How is C. difficile<\/em> treated?<\/strong> In addition to antibiotics, probiotics are often suggested for patients with C. difficile<\/em> infections to help replace the \u201cgood\u201d bacteria that are missing from the gut.\u00a0 Our recommendation is to take Floraster\u00ae for one month and then Florajen 3\u00ae for an additional three months.<\/p>\n Lastly, due to the diarrhea it is also important to maintain hydration by drinking a lot of fluids.<\/p>\n How do you stop C. difficile<\/em> from infecting other people?<\/strong> C. difficile<\/em> spores can survive in the environment for months to years.\u00a0 As alluded to above, C. difficile<\/em> spores are highly resistant to killing by alcohol.\u00a0 Therefore, most typical household cleaners and standard disinfectants do NOT kill the bacterial spores.\u00a0 Chlorine-based cleaning agents, such as bleach, or other sporicidal agents are the ONLY products that can kill the C. difficile<\/em> spores.\u00a0 The available chlorine concentration in products used to kill the C. difficile<\/em> spores should be at least 1,000ppm and ideally may be 5,000ppm.\u00a0 The lower concentration is equal to a dilution containing one part bleach for every 10 parts of water.\u00a0 This product needs to be made fresh every day.<\/p>\n In addition to maintaining good hand hygiene and disinfecting the environment, it is advised to use contact precautions for the duration of the diarrhea.\u00a0 Using a separate bathroom is recommended.\u00a0 If doing so is not possible, be sure the bathroom is cleaned well, with the appropriate bleach solution, after the infected individual has used it.\u00a0 It may also be a good idea to limit unnecessary human-to-human contact as much as possible to further prevent the infection from spreading to others.<\/p>\n How do you lower your chances of getting C. difficile<\/em>?<\/strong> Do not demand antibiotics if your doctor says you do not need them.\u00a0 Antibiotics can be life-saving medicines.\u00a0 However, in addition to killing the bad bacteria they also kill the \u201cgood\u201d bacteria in the gut.\u00a0 Therefore, when a person takes antibiotics, it may be months before the \u201cgood\u201d bacteria grows back to protect against a C. difficile<\/em> infection.<\/p>\n References: Clostridium Difficile\u00a0 (klo\u2013strid\u2013ee\u2013um \u00a0dif\u2013uh\u2013seel) What is Clostridium Difficile? Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), which is also known as C. diff, is a spore-forming bacteria found in feces.\u00a0 The bacteria cause a toxin-mediated response, which means they release a poisonous substance that causes the symptoms of the infection. How does C. difficile cause infections? C. difficile spores […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[20],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/medicineshoppenorton.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/422"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/medicineshoppenorton.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/medicineshoppenorton.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/medicineshoppenorton.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/medicineshoppenorton.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=422"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/medicineshoppenorton.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":425,"href":"http:\/\/medicineshoppenorton.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/422\/revisions\/425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/medicineshoppenorton.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/medicineshoppenorton.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/medicineshoppenorton.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nClostridium difficile (C. difficile)<\/em>, which is also known as C. diff<\/em>, is a spore-forming bacteria found in feces.\u00a0 The bacteria cause a toxin-mediated response, which means they release a poisonous substance that causes the symptoms of the infection.<\/p>\n
\nC. difficile<\/em> spores enter the body through the mouth and develop into the bacteria, which colonize in the small and large intestines.\u00a0 Then, the bacteria release toxins, which destroy the mucosal lining of the gut.\u00a0 Usually, the \u201cgood\u201d bacteria in the stomach keep the C. difficile<\/em> from forming colonies.\u00a0 However, when patients are on broad-spectrum antibiotics, the antibiotics can kill the \u201cgood\u201d bacteria and then there is no longer anything to keep the C. difficile<\/em> from colonizing and causing an infection.<\/p>\n
\nIn the United States each year, about 500,000 people, mostly in hospitals and nursing homes, get C. difficile<\/em> infections. However, the number of infections occurring in the community is increasing and now account for anywhere from 15,000 to 180,000 cases yearly.\u00a0 Of those 500,000 people, approximately 14,000 will suffer a C. difficile<\/em> related death.<\/p>\n
\nThe main risk factor is taking broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as clindamycin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, penicillins, etc., that kill many different types of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that cause disease.\u00a0 The reason for this occurrence is that these antibiotics can kill the \u201cgood\u201d bacteria in the gut that keep C. difficile<\/em> from growing there.\u00a0 When C. difficile<\/em> infections are related to antibiotic use, the infections usually occur during or shortly after completion of the antibiotic therapy; however, the infection onset can be delayed for up to two or three months.<\/p>\n
\n1.Direct contact with infected person
\n2.Indirect contact with a contaminated surface
\n3.Indirect contact with an individual with transient hand colonization<\/p>\n
\nThe symptoms of C. difficile<\/em> infections can range from symptomless carriage, to mild or moderate diarrhea, to severe, life-threatening intestinal inflammation.\u00a0 The diarrhea, which is usually at least three bowel movements per day for two or more days, may be watery and contain mucus or blood.<\/p>\n
\nThe first step is to stop taking the antibiotic if it is thought to be the cause.\u00a0 Doing so will resolve the infection in about 20% to 25% of patients within two to three days.\u00a0 However, C. difficile<\/em> infections usually are treated with antibiotics for 10 days.\u00a0 Doctors may prescribe metronidazole, oral vancomycin, fidaxomicin, or a combination of these depending on the severity of the infection.<\/p>\n
\nThe most important step is practicing good hand hygiene.\u00a0 Hands should be washed with soap and running water after caring for or being in contact with the infected person. Alcohol-based products, such as Purel\u00ae, do NOT kill the C. difficile<\/em> spores.\u00a0 They only move the spores around the skin\u2019s surface.\u00a0 Therefore, hands must be cleaned with soap and running water to physically remove the spores by mechanical washing.<\/p>\n
\nMaintaining good hand hygiene is very important for preventing infections in general.\u00a0 Although Purel\u00ae is effective for killing most types of bacteria, it does NOT kill C. difficile<\/em> spores.\u00a0\u00a0 Therefore, it is important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and running water on a regular basis, and frequently if you have been around someone with a C. difficile<\/em> infection. Soap and running water is the only way to remove C. difficile<\/em> spores from your hands if they become contaminated.<\/p>\n
\n1. Clostridium difficile<\/em> Infection.\u00a0 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 14 December 2012 from http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/hai\/organisms\/cdiff\/cdiff_infect.html<\/a>. <\/strong>
\n2. Cohen SH,\u00a0Gerding DN,\u00a0Johnson S. et al.\u00a0 Clinical practice guidelines\u00a0for\u00a0Clostridium difficile\u00a0infection\u00a0in\u00a0adults: 2010 update by the society for healthcare epidemiology of America (SHEA) and the infectious\u00a0diseases\u00a0society of America (IDSA). Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol\u00a02010;31(5):431-55.<\/strong>
\n3. Gould C, McDonald C. Clostridium difficile<\/em> (CDI) Infections Toolkit.\u00a0 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2009. Accessed 14 December 2012 from http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/hicpac\/pdf\/guidelines\/eic_in_HCF_03.pdf<\/a>. <\/strong>
\n4. Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities.\u00a0 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2003. Accessed 14 December 2012 from http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/hicpac\/pdf\/guidelines\/eic_in_HCF_03.pdf<\/a>. <\/strong>
\n5. Laino C.\u00a0 C. diff on the Rise Outside the Hospital.\u00a0 WebMD Health News 2011. Accessed 14 December 2012 from http:\/\/www.webmd.com\/digestive-disorders\/news\/20110920\/c-diff-on-the-rise-outside-the-hospital<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"