Clostridium difficile

Question 1

What sort of diseases can it cause?

Answer 1

Diarrhoea

-mild to fulminant pseudomembranous colitis

Question 2

What is pseudomembranous colitis?

Answer 2

Inflammation of the colon. The diarrhoea is composed of mucus, fibrin, inflammatory cells and cell debris

Question 3

gram positive or negative?

Answer 3

positive

Question 4

shape?

Answer 4

Bacilli

Question 5

Normal Site?

Answer 5

A minor component of the large intestine

Question 6

When can a clostridium difficile infection arise?

Answer 6

whilst being treated with antibiotics
Normal flora of the gut can be depleted
can cause clostridium difficile to proliferate

Question 7

What antibiotics are most associated with causing C.diff infection?

Answer 7

ampicillin
amoxicillin
cephalosporins

Penicillin is occasionally associated

Question 8

How can it be identified?

Answer 8

cultured from stools
Enzyme immunoassay for exotoxins A and B
PCR

Question 9

How can it be treated?

Answer 9

Discontinuation of predisposing drug
Fluid replacement
Antibiotics vancomycin or metronidazole

(Also replenishing normal flora of the gut)