What is the incidence of C diff?
Data from North America and Europe suggest that approximately 20–27 percent of all CDI cases are community-associated, with an incidence of 20–30 per 100,000 population. The results of a population based-study evaluating the epidemiology of community-acquired CDI were recently published.
What infection does Clostridium difficile cause?
diff (also known as Clostridioides difficile or C. difficile) is a germ (bacterium) that causes severe diarrhea and colitis (an inflammation of the colon). It’s estimated to cause almost half a million infections in the United States each year.
What is the clinical cure for Clostridium difficile?
Clinical cure was defined by the resolution of diarrhea (i.e., three or fewer unformed stools for 2 consecutive days), with maintenance of resolution for the duration of therapy and no further requirement (in the investigator’s opinion) for therapy for C. difficile infection as of the second day after the end of the course of therapy.
Which is better for Clostridium difficile or vancomycin?
Clostridium difficile infection is a serious diarrheal illness associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Patients generally have a response to oral vancomycin or metronidazole; however, the rate of recurrence is high.
How does Clostridium difficile cause colitis in humans?
Pathogenesis of Clostridium difficile Infection. C. difficile colonizes the large intestine and releases two protein exotoxins (TcdA and TcdB) that cause colitis in susceptible persons. Infection is transmitted by spores that are resistant to heat, acid, and antibiotics.
Why are most infants asymptomatic with Clostridium difficile?
For example, the majority of infants are colonized with C. difficile but are asymptomatic, 6-8 possibly owing to the lack of toxin-binding receptors in the infant gut, as shown in animal models 9 and as suggested by the common development of antibodies to C. difficile toxins in infants without clinical infection. 7
