Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - ​Hospital Associated Diarrhea ( Clostridium difficile)

Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - ​Hospital Associated Diarrhea ( Clostridium difficile) 

A Gram-positive anaerobic rod known as Clostridium difficile causes diarrhea that patients get while hospitalized.

Formation of spores.Endogenous spread is the most common mode of transmission. Although C. diff is only a small part of the normal flora, it can get an advantage in growth when antibiotics are used to treat colonization, which kills out other normal host bacteria.
Many cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, toxic megacolon, and pseudomembraneous colitis are caused by clinical C difficile.

Two exotoxins, exotoxin A and exotoxin B, are the main factors that cause disease. A powerful enterotoxin with some cytotoxic effect is exotoxin A, while exotoxin B is a cytotoxin. Colon pseudomembrane development, cell death, and fluid release are all outcomes of toxin generation.

Two methods exist for determining whether a toxin is present in stool: cytotoxicity cell culture assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).
 Stopping antibiotic use is the first step in treatment. Antibiotics like metronidazole or vancomycin are necessary for more severe symptoms like pseudomembraneous colitis.
Surgeons may need to remove a toxic megacolon. Careful monitoring of antibiotic use is an important part of prevention.